


Queen B

by warchiefsteph



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Action/Romance, Alcohol Abuse, CanonxOC, Casual Sex, F/M, Fade to Black, Past Abuse, Recreational Drug Use, Violence, a lot of this isn't mentioned until later in the story, i just want to cover my bases ya feel, ocxcanon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2018-10-13 05:01:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 51,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10506783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warchiefsteph/pseuds/warchiefsteph
Summary: Bridget Burns, a seasoned trainer and newcomer to Alola, finds herself allied with those who the residents of the region warn her about since her arrival: Team Skull. However, where they find an enemy, she finds a family, and learns that everything is not as it seems. Find out more about Bhere!Rating may change to mature for more adult themes.





	1. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Queen B is currently going through a edit/rewrite as my skill in writing has leveled up! Hope y'all enjoy!

      Alola was a far cry from home. The warm ocean breezes, the light of a glowing sun ever-shining on the soft, grassy earth, and the colors. Dear lord, the colors were so bright and animated that merely looking at a bouquet of native flowers could elevate any mood. Even still, there was a certain something about Alola that was lonely, something that Bridget Burns could not place. Perhaps it was her lack of friends and family on the tropical islands that irked her; familiar faces came and went in Johto, and even Hoenn, and yet there wasn’t a single soul she had seen before in her short time there. Of course, there was always another side to the coin, and while the distinct lack of familiarity did weight down on her, the thought of running away from a past she was not proud of pushed her to make a new life of herself, far away from those she once knew. **  
**

      Bridget Burns.  _Bridget Burns_.

      _B._

      Her nose wrinkled in distaste, lips pouted. Stretched across a bench on the porch of a quaint little house, Bridget Burns reflected on a life long since past.  _B_  was the name christened to her in Team Magma, and though it made her feel less of a person the moment she put on the uniform, it was an alias she came to be known as, even after leaving Hoenn far behind. Like a badge she wore, ever-present, it had lingered on her since she turned 16, preceded her in hushed whispers through every region she traveled. It was annoying, really, and the main reason she came to Alola in the first place. It was far enough away that B was just a letter, another name to go by, and she was content to leave it at that.

      “I suppose…”

      With a sigh, B dragged herself up, grasping onto the railing lining her porch. Standing up straight, long limbs stretched high above her head, pulling a satisfied groan from the pit of her stomach. It was several seconds before she relaxed again, and her hand came to a rest on the top of her head, tousling her short, wine-red hair. The shade was cool, calming, and her fair skin thanked her for protection from the sun, but she was long overdue for a trip to Hau’oli City, and the longer she put it off, the more persistent her Pokemon would become. After all, it was for them that she shopped, and the paddock around the back of her home was waiting a bit of an upgrade to help protect against the heat of the Alolan air.

      Three, choice companions rested at her hips, each of the creatures within special to her in a different way. In the first Pokeball was Breena, the youngest Pokemon B had. She was a Sylveon, newly evolved and learning the ways of her knew form. She was small, loving, and rather cuddly when given the chance, and she was B’s favorite companion to bring to the shops when she went out. Breena wasn’t intimidating in the least, and children often dragged their parents to B’s side, asking to pet her silky fur.

      The second Pokeball was Brienne, her prized Houndoom bred from her parents’ best show Pokemon. Brienne was among the purest bred in Johto, and it was the Burns’ breeding program that brought them such renown in Johto and Kanto. They did not breed their Houndoom often, however, and regardless of their demand, B’s parents were stern and unmoving when it came to the care and wellbeing of their hounds. Nothing was more important than the health of their closest companions, and no matter the amount of money offered for a pup, they would not move. Brienne was among the first born, the first female of her litter. As a Houndour, she imprinted immediately on B, and they had been inseparable since.

      Pausing at her door, if only to lock it, B skipped down the steps onto the path leading to her home, the earth crunching beneath her shoes. The walk to Hau’oli was not far, but she was content to take her time, enjoying her walk in the shade of towering trees. Her stride was long, but relaxed, and shining, dark green eyes wandered while walking the familiar path to the city, her fingers running along the edge of the final Pokeball absentmindedly.

      Within it was the deadliest of all her companions, and the first Pokemon she had ever received. His name was Hades, a monstrous creatures that struck fear into whomever crossed his path. B was only five when her father found him, as a baby Deino, not far from their house in Unova, days before leaving for Johto. Orphaned and afraid, it was quite difficult to rangle the young dragon and bring him home. With much coaxing and several burnt fingers, he managed to bring Hades home, and after a quick examination, he was stunned that the baby was rather healthy and very strong for his age. Of course, the abandonment could have something to do with the unnatural color of his skin and fur--rather than the customary blue, this creature was green, a rarity among its kind. Shiny, as B came to know.

      Hades grew up with her, and they trained together the moment they met. He was wild--and truth be told, he still was, even as a well-trained Hydreigon. There was a reason they were rarely seen in the trainer world, and B had seen that reason up close and personal.

      Regardless of the taboo of having a Hydreigon as a companion, B loved Hades dearly, and he was often the companion that she brought along with her everywhere. Still, she had to be careful; even as trained as he was, there was always a chance that Hades could go into an unstoppable rampage, and the consequences of his destruction was not something B liked to think about, for Hades’ sake.

      “ _Yo!_  There’s one now!”

      B was pulled from her thoughts, brows knitting above curious eyes. The voice came from before her, but where, she could not quite see. A gathering of trees and bushes ahead of her blocked the stranger from view, and as her eyes narrowed, approaching the area quietly, she could make out two bickering voices hiding within. It sounded like they were struggling, with what B surmised as Pokeballs, and as she slowed her pace, right before the path met the bushes off to her left, their voices fell suddenly silent, one hushing the other.

_       What…? _

      She barely had time to react. From the bushes sprung out two youths, covered from head to toe in black and white attire. They were young, somewhere between 18 and 21 she’d surmise, and clutched within their fists, each had a single Pokeball.  B had no doubts that these kids were members of the nefarious Team Skull; since arriving in Alola a year back, all she would hear was to  _stay away_. That they’d definitely  _get_ her, kick her ass, and take her Pokemon. She had seen them in passing, often with some sort of destruction in their wake--overturned trash cans, graffitied buildings, stolen food. She knew each region had their own  _team_ of sorts, but as far as she could tell and had experienced firsthand, Team Skull was just a group of misfits sticking together and causing mayhem wherever they went. They were punks, and it couldn’t be more obvious.

      Still, she couldn’t help but to roll her eyes as they slowly approached, a ridiculous swagger to their step to match the motions their arms made as they walked. The longer she stood there, the more she realized that they were just  _kids_. Try as they might to intimidate her, there was nothing they could have done to have her quaking in her shoes. Even a threat couldn’t provoke any reaction other than amusement, and the more she thought on it, she more she had to wonder if these ‘ _big bads_ ’ of the islands were really everything the Alolans made them out to be.

      The pair came to a halt before her, a girl and a boy, and though they were identical in dress, they couldn’t be further than the same, physically. The girl was shorter than B was by a good five inches, at least, bright pink hair pulled up into a messy bun on the top of her head, the underside of it shaved, leaving only a dirty-blonde peach fuzz behind. Her brows were dark and angled, knitted angrily over blue-grey eyes that bore into B’s with a ferocious intensity. Her skin was pale with a splatter of freckles across her nose and upper cheeks.

      The boy, on the other hand, was tall, broad-shouldered, and had he not been looking as ridiculous as his smaller counterpart, he likely would have come off as intimidating. He had to be several inches taller than B, and he too had a mop of brightly colored hair atop his head, save for the sides and back, which were cut short and so dark, it seemed black. His eyes were large, yet sad, and a very dark shade of chocolaty brown. On his inner forearm, tattooed in solid black on his bronze skin, was a skull.

      Both wore heavy eye makeup, all black and slightly smudged, but even that couldn’t mask the weary circles under their eyes. The lower half their faces were covered by black and white bandanas, matching the rest of their ensemble, but the gauntness of their cheeks was still as obvious as the slight, tired slouch to their shoulders. Their outfits were only offset by their hair--colored brightly and a nice contrast to the dullness of their clothing--and it was something that B could appreciate. Still, even with the energetic, albeit, ridiculous motions with which they moved, she could see that these two were completely exhausted, and B knew that feeling all too well.

      “You  _don’t_ want to battle me,” she said, raising her hands before her. “Trust me, there are less stupid things to do around here, and it’ll keep you and your Pokemon from getting hurt.” Her voice, though gruff and almost weary, carried a hint of concern; being a part of a ‘team’ as they were had likely weighed heavily on the two grunts standing before her, and it always affected everyone differently. Being in Magma had stressed her greatly, physically and mentally; while one of the better trainers, it was apparent that no matter what she did, it never pleased the Admins, and least of all, Maxie. It was all fight and no rest. B hardly found a single bit of peace; there was always someone to battle, someone to snatch Pokemon from. Someone to beat mercilessly into submission, until their broken selves were crying at her feet. But she supposed, after all she’d done, she hadn’t deserved the peace she had so longed for. No rest for the wicked.

      But she had gotten out! The day that a kid came through their ranks, kicking the asses of everyone around her, B finally got the courage to get away. In the dead of night--the night before Magma attempted to awaken Groudon from its slumber, she’d stolen away with nothing but her Pokemon and the clothes on her back, and ran  _far_ away. Well, maybe not far, but as soon as she could manage it, she found Professor Birch, asked him for help, and sailed away from Hoenn as soon as she was back on her feet.

      B focused again on the Skull Grunts as the boy stepped forward, eyes narrowed and flashing dangerously, Pokeball still clutched tightly in his hand. He got close, likely to try and intimidate her, but sharp, green eyes met his steadily, daring him to try his shit. “ _Yo_ , don’t be tellin’ us what we wanna do!” B had to hold in a snort at his manner of speech, and B was half tempted to reach right up and pull his bandana clean off. However, she thought better of it, and as she continued to watch his ridiculous motions, she bit her tongue, fighting back a snort with all the self control she had.

      “We’ll stomp ya!” the girl continued, stepping forward to fall in line with her friend. She had since stopped her arms from doing their  _dance_ , clearly seeing the amusement on B’s face, but she still swaggered when she walked, her hands resting on her hips while throwing her weight heavily on one leg. B raised a brow at the obvious sass in the girl’s posture, and the unimpressed glimmer in her eye as she looked her up and down, trying to garner whether or not this woman was someone she and her partner could take on. Pursing her lips, B had a hard time believing that these two would actually take her on, but then again, as far as she knew, impressionable kids would do what they could to prove themselves to the man, and anyone who doubted their skills, as well. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes in annoyance, a exasperated grin curving the corner of her mouth.  _Kids these days._

      “Alright, listen up, you shitheads,” she growled, eyes narrowing sharply as she stepped forward, shoulders squared and jaw set. Clearly, they did not expect her to hold her own when they showed up, and the boy started in surprise when B suddenly glared at him, her gaze unwavering. Her hand reached for her belt slowly, hovering slightly over the Pokeballs that rested upon it. She was no weak trainer; nearly 14 years of training her partners had made her rather adept at what she did, and her Pokemon were far from the disobedient and untrained creatures she often saw in the hands of these sorts of youth. “You  _really_ don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into,” she continued, giving them a cautionary glance. “I’m going to warn you this once:  _just walk away_.”

      They both laughed, throwing out their chosen Pokemon not moments after she had finished speaking. Two Drowzee suddenly appeared before her, small and weak, as far as she could tell, and it was as though she were experiencing deja vu since she had stepped into the Grunts’ path. How many times had she seen her own Rattata not get the love and attention he needed? How many times had he nearly fainted by just being up and walking around? Thank god she had sent him home to her parents after she left Hoenn; he was now a fat and happy Raticate, well loved and cared for, and far,  _far_ away from the toxicity of Magma. Still, as she watched the Drowzee before her, which swayed from side to side weakly, it was ironic that they were the type to put others to sleep, when they were falling asleep where they stood.

      Her hand lingered on her belt; whether to use Brienne or Hades wasn’t the question. She did not want to injure the Pokemon more than needed, but their small stature, compared to her own, strong and healthy, Pokemon, would make it nearly impossible to keep from permanent damage. At this point, it was all about intimidation and to get them to back down without causing anyone harm. While Brienne would likely do the trick, a Hydreigon would do the job a hell of lot better than a Houndoom. Both had their pros, and both had their bad reputations that forced people away in fear, but there was something about an enormous, unpredictable dragon that frightened people a lot more than a hellhound. Still, even as she threw out the Pokeball in which Hades rested lazily, a sigh fell from her lips, and she dragged a hand through her short, wine-red hair.

      As confident as they looked, the moment the piercing roar from the Hydreigon’s maw filled the silent air, all color from their faces vanished. Eyes widened, postures stiffened, and the boy’s hand latched around the girl’s upper arm, yanking her closer in fright. Whether he aimed to protect her or hide behind her, B could not surmise, but even their Drowzee backed away in fear, edging themselves as far away from the enormous, shining dragon as possible.

      “ _Shit!!_ ” The boy threw out his Pokeball to call back his Drowzee, but the poor creature was entranced by Hades’ dangerous eyes, and as the dragon’s arms swayed back and forth, the head of each fixing on an enemy Pokemon, the Drowzee followed. Though their trainers yelled and pleaded for them to come back, absolute fear and worry plastered across their faces, they were prey to Hades, and a rippling growl echoed in the dragon’s throat. He would be happy to demolish them both, but B’s hand on his neck kept him at bay. There was little that the dragon would listen to, and only his trainer’s voice could calm him.

      “Listen, I  _don’t_  want to do this to you guys,” she said, trying to reason with them. B offered them both a kind, encouraging smile, yet the Grunts scoffed in her face. For a moment, it looked like they were going to try intimidation again, but the soft groans from their Pokemon had them cowering before B and Hades once again.

      “Your Drowzee are exhausted and afraid,” she continued with a sigh, “ _and_  they look like they could use a hot meal.” A pause. “You know how you hear about Pokemon looking like their trainers? Well, you look just as exhausted as they do.”  Both of them looked like they had no idea what the hell they were doing, or what they were supposed to do, and despite the warnings the locals gave her about their little  _organization_ , B wasn’t keen on letting them go back to wherever they came from without a bit of kindness and a full belly. What she would have given for someone to show her the same, and it was up to her, now, to give back what she never received.

      Still, despite her offer, they didn’t want to back down, but neither did they want their Drowzee to attack. B could have slapped them both for their idiocy; they were clearly outranked, alone, and couldn’t go to anyone without getting themselves turned in for obvious reasons. And yet, these two shitheads were willing to put themselves and their Pokemon in danger to keep from succumbing to B and her Hydreigon.  _God_ , she hoped she wasn’t as idiotic as them when she was their age, but then again, her temper had been just as fiery as theirs, if not more.

      “ _Listen_ , you two. I’m hungry, Hades is hungry, and you and your Pokemon are hungry. Let’s get you some food.”

      Her offer seemed to snap them out of their fearful stupor, but only for them to become defensive as they both lunged forward to drag their Pokemon away. Yanking her arm out of her friend’s hand, the girl stormed forward forgetting, for a moment, that Hades was very much a real, terrifying thing. Her face was nearly in B’s as she stopped before her, poking her square in the chest in anger. “So ya can turn us in? No thanks!”

      “As if I would,” she drawled haughtily, hand resting on her hip with an obviously annoyed roll to her eyes. Hades growled the moment the girl put a hand on his trainer, and he turned his great body toward the Grunt, the Drowzee forgotten, standing at his full height while his enraged eyes stared her down. She came to her senses not moments after she heard the Hydreigon’s growl, and nearly jumping out of her skin, she backed quickly away. She ran clear into her partner, who grabbed her by the shoulders, nearly tripping over himself in an effort to get the both out of harm’s way. B shook her head, raising her hand to rest on Hades’ snout.

      “You wouldn’t  _believe_ what I’ve been through,” she continued, squishing her nose against Hades’ before striding toward them in three long steps, lips curved into a knowing smirk.. “Shit’s  _crazy_ from where I’m from. Pretty sure I’ve seen the world nearly destroyed twice, and that was before breakfast.” It was a joke, of course, but it didn’t look like either of the Grunts found it very amusing.  “Now, let’s get going, I know a shop that has the greatest malasada in Hau’oli.”

      Without further ado, she caught them both by their upper arms, ushering them along the path toward the city. Hades lifted each of the Drowzee into one of his arms carefully, the small, frightened creatures whining for their trainers. Unfortunately for their Pokemon, they could only watch on helplessly as B pushed them forward, for once her mind was made, there was no changing it. Hades brought up the rear, occasionally jabbing one of them in the back of the head with the tip of his nose, reminding both Grunts exactly who it was that they were dealing with..

      “I’m not taking  _no_ for an answer, guys,” she said. “Trust me, you need it.”


	2. 2

      Not a word was spoken between the three, and the only sound that filled the air was the steady, ominous beat of Hades’ wings.

      The two Grunts were positioned a few feet in front of B, close enough that she could grab them by the scruffs of their shirts should they try to get away. Of course, with a Hydreigon in tow, neither of them were dumb enough to try anything with B, but they were sure to make their displeasure of having a powerful escort quite obvious to her. They may not have spoken, but the stiffness with which they walked, coupled with the girl’s arms folded angrily across her chest, didn’t make it difficult for B to know. Still, it was their own fault they were in this predicament; had they just minded their own business, they’d be free to roam on their own, far away from B and her Pokemon.

      “Ya sure ya ain’t gonna turn us in?” said the boy, glancing over his shoulder at B. Her brow raised, noticing the hesitant and uncertain expression on his face, and B shrugged nonchalantly, meeting his eyes.

      “Depends if you two give me a reason or not. Even then, it’s still not likely.”

      The boy did not seem satisfied by her answer when he turned away, but she could see his shoulders relax, just a bit. She couldn’t see why he’d be worried; Skull was rampant around Alola, always getting into trouble, regardless of what they were doing. Countless times, B had witnessed a policeman escorting a whole mess of Grunts out of Hau’oli City, and if she remembered correctly, he hadn’t really disciplined them like a cop normally would. As far as she could tell, they were just a bunch of punks disturbing the peace, and kicking them out was easier than ticketing them or taking them in.

      Still, though, why would he be worried? Unless there was a deeper reason behind it, B guessed that the Grunts didn’t give two shits as to whether or not they were caught.

      Feet  meeting pavement, B heard the Grunts grumble, their shoulders hunching unhappily as they entered town. Biting her tongue, she stifled a chuckle; while she was pretty amused with their general attitude, B was trying to build a bridge with them, not burn one, and showing them an amount of respect would likely get them to open up a little more than they wanted to do at the moment. She could go on and on about how she might have related to them, and how things in Magma were run in the day, but at the end of it all, if she wanted them to listen to her, she had to be willing to listen to them, first. That was the thing about respect–force someone to respect you, and they’d try even harder to get away.

      The reaction was instant. The moment the city-goers laid eyes on B and her group of heathens, the whispers began. It was enough that she kept company with two Skull Grunts, but the fact of the matter was that while they might have been little more than a nuisance, the looming threat of a Hydreigon was enough to keep them on their toes, ushering their children as far away from the beast as they could.

      Giving them a wide berth, a particularly wary-looking group of shoppers kept their eyes fixed upon B, who strode, straight-backed and confident, through the city. Their whispers were not at all kind; it didn’t take much for her to hear them, and the angered concern that colored their voices told her exactly what she thought they said.

_That thing is a monster, it should be in a Pokeball._

_Is she trying to give children nightmares? No respect for anyone._

_Isn’t that Team Skull? No wonder her Hydreigon is roaming freely._

      Despite her reservations, and the fact that it sounded like they’d call law enforcement to force her to return Hades to his Pokeball, B couldn’t help but to chuckle darkly, eyes flashing dangerously as she walked by. Perhaps it was the Magma blood still in her veins that provoked her, but sometimes, the fear that shone in another’s eyes when confronting her filled her with pride. It kept people away, and she was happy enough to let them avoid her. She had never been a fan of them to begin with, especially when they were so quick to dismiss her Pokemon as monsters, rather than valued members of her family. Hades, as well as Brienne, were like her babies, every bit as much as Breena, or another of her ‘cuter’ Pokemon. It infuriated her, if truth be told, and she was happy to put the unbelievers in their place.

      The malasada shop was not far, only a few more yards away. However, a group stood outside the shop, noses pressed against the storefront as they observed the wares in the window hungrily. B could see the telltale sign of several trainers within the bunch, and she wouldn’t be surprised if the sight of the Skull Grunts and Hades provoked them to battle. A soft sigh fell from her lips; she wasn’t in the mood for a fight, but sometimes, trouble came looking for her.

      “They ain’t gonna let us in,” grumbled the girl, who slowed her pace, hand reached for the boy’s wrist, slowing him with her. “Look at that group! They’ll stomp us without our Pokemon!”

      The boy huffed, glancing back at B again. Her eyes were fixed on the girl, her brows raised as though to say ‘ _You’re kidding, right?_ ’

      “Listen, kiddo,” B replied, resting her arm on the girl’s shoulder. “They’re going to stomp you _with_  your Pokemon, whether you like it or not. They’re weak and sickly; that’ll get you nowhere.”

      Pulling herself away from B, the girl turned on her, nose wrinkled as she got right into B’s face. “Ya, says you,” she growled, shoving her finger in B’s chest. “Ya won’t even battle us!”

      “ _Lenaaaa_ ,” the boy groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. “Look at her damn Pokemon. Ya think a Drowzee’s gonna beat that?”

      So Lena was her name, then. B shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. “Listen, you guys. Just act naturally, keep your heads down, and we’ll get into the shop just fine. You might not have any money on you, but I do, and I said I was going to feed you, didn’t I?” Lena and her friend, whose name B had yet to get, stared back at her, expressions hardening. Well, at least what expressions she could see. Her lips pursed as they swept across the bandanas that obscured half their faces, and after a moment, she tugged on the ends of them, pulling them clean off, leaving them dangling around the duo’s necks.

      “Oi! What was that for?!” Lena growled, batting B’s hand away. “We gotta keep ourselves _incognito_ , ya ass.”

      A harsh bark of laughter escaped B’s lips. “ _Please_ , you’re making yourself look like an ass. I have little patience right now, so if you’d please just cooperate with me, I’ll be out of your hair.”

      “Why don’t ya jus’ leave us now then?” the boy asked, far more gently than he’d been before. He seemed to be resigned to B not letting them go without a fight, and it was sure to be a fight that they would not win. “We’ll just head back to Po Town and leave ya the hell alone.”

      Her eyes flickered to him, giving him a questioning glance. “Po Town?”

      “Ya dumbass,” Lena hissed, her hand smacking her own forehead. “Ya just let her know where our hideout was.”

      They looked like they were about to get into another shouting match, and B quickly inserted herself between them, resting a hand on either of their chests. “Alright, stop,” she said sternly. “I honestly do not give a shit where your hideout is. Can you go, I don’t know, two minutes without starting a fight? Dear lord.”

      Both of them gave her a flat look, but relented, arms falling to their sides in defeat. Behind them, Hades whined, and the Drowzee in his arms snored on, having finally collapsed in exhaustion. Casting them a glance, B closed her eyes not long after, bowing her head before turning her attention back to the Grunts.

      “Get your Pokemon back in their Pokeballs,” she continued, still as stern as before, though concern, too, crossed her expression. “They need rest. We’ll get them some food when we leave.”

      Hesitating, the reached for the Pokeballs on their hips, holding them up toward each of their Pokemon. A jet of red light escaped, enveloping both of the small, weary Pokemon in glowing light, before returning them back to the safety of their Pokeballs.

      “Thank you.” B faced Hades again, still planted firmly between the Grunts, holding out her own Pokeball toward him. “Sorry, bud, but I think it’s better that you’re inside, yeah? You kind of, uh, scare everyone.” He chirped deep in his throat, an odd sort of noise to come from an enormous creature, but he bowed his head, bumping the end of his nose against B’s chin. With a grin, she ran a hand along the end of his snout, giving him a quick smooch between his eyes, and activated her Pokeball, recalling the Hydreigon back within.

      “Alright, you two,” B continued, placing Hades on her hip. “Let’s go, and remember, keep your heads down.” Touching each of their shoulders, she turned them toward the door, feeling them stiffen beneath her hands. They almost seemed unwilling, but at the same time, something spurned them forward, and as Lena pulled ahead of the group, pushing open the shop door and completely avoiding the crowd in front of the shop, B nearly sighed in relief as they cooperated.

      The shop was full, bustling with life and laughter, and B’s mood was instantly lifted at the pleasant and cozy atmosphere. The Grunts, on the other hand, seemed to tense even more, drawing closer together and shutting themselves off from anyone who might glance their way. The woman at the counter, an elderly lady with dark black hair tied into a knot at the back of her head, looked at the trio in surprise, and trepidation crossed her features realizing exactly who the Grunts were. Fortunately, B pushed herself between them, a sheepish smile on her face, taking the lead once again.

      “We’re just here for some malasada, you don’t need to worry about these two.” The woman glanced from the Grunts to B and back again, and though she did not seem convinced, B took her faint nod as a welcome to take a seat. Nodding toward them, she lead the Grunts to a booth on the opposite end of the shop, tucked away in a corner that would be relatively left alone. The boy slid into one side of the booth first, shifting himself comfortably in the seat, and Lena slid in right after him, leaning heavily against the back of the chair, arms folded across her chest rebelliously. So it was going to be like that, eh?

      Finally, B sat herself across from the pair, sitting in the dead center of her bench-seat. Leaning forward, B rested her elbows on the tabletop, fingers linking together to support her head as she watched them both closely. They both pointedly avoided her gaze, like a couple of moody teenagers, and yet B kept vigilant. They weren’t about to get up and leave her, that much was certain, but she could still tell they didn’t want to be completely passive in her attempt to show them kindness.

      The server arrived at their booth only moments later, and while both of them turned away, noses wrinkled, B rolled her eyes, offering the man who appeared a kind smile. Not bothering to ask for their input, B ordered enough malasada to give them each a good amount, and hopefully enough to fill them up. Along with the malasada, she ordered Roserade Tea. Whether or not they liked it, she did not care. If they didn’t want to put in their preferences, B was going to try her own.

      “ _Right_.” The server nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, and B turned her attention back to her company, grinning lopsidedly as they seemed to shrink back into their seats. “ _So_ ,” she said nonchalantly, scratching the end of her nose. “You’ve got names, right? I mean, I heard your name is Lena, but what about you? I don’t really feel like Shithead One and Shithead Two are really suitable names for the pair of you.”

      They both stared at her, identical, annoyed expressions settling across their face. Silent as the grave, it appeared that neither wanted to speak, and B could feel Lena cross her leg under the table, her foot jiggling quickly.

      “I can stay here all day, I don’t mind,” she assured them, quirking her brows. “I’ve got enough patience to wait.”

      “Rolan.” The boy finally spoke, brows raised as he averted his gaze to the window. “Rolan Skyes.” He fell silent, and B did not press him further. Rolan didn’t seem entirely comfortable with the situation at all, and his fingers tapped incessantly against the table’s surface. His jaw was set, and he chewed on his tongue, hoping that B looked anywhere else but him.

      Shaking her head, she turned her gaze in time to see the server arrive with the malasada and tea, setting it at the center of the table. Reaching in her pocket, B pulled out the money to pay for their food, and the server thanked her, disappearing once more.

      “Alright, you two, dig in.”

      Rolan and Lena glanced at B skeptically, hesitantly reaching for the food at the center of the table. Giving them an encouraging nod, she poured three cups of tea for the lot of them, pushing one toward each of them, taking her own up in her hands, warming her palms. Steam rose from the cup and into the air, watching them as they shoveled their food into their mouths, as though someone might threaten to take it away. Surely Skull couldn’t be that bad with food…or  _maybe_ , the didn’t have enough food for everyone to get by…

      “What about you?” Lena suddenly spoke up, her eyes flashing as they met B’s. Finishing off the malasada in her hand, she wiped her mouth off on the back of her hand, chewing quickly and flopping back against the seat. “Ya never gave us yer name.”

      B raised a brow, tilting her head to the side. “You can call me B.”

      Lena’s nose wrinkled. “ _B_?”

      “B.”

      Rolling her eyes, Lena grimaced, reaching for a second malasada. “Yer tellin’ me  _B_  is yer name? Like a honeybee? B-E-E? Or just a B?”

      B hid a smile behind her cup. “Just B.”

      “Oh,  _please_!” Lena’s fist came down on the table, crashing against it in a din. “That’s stupid! What kinda person has a single letter fer a name? B?  _B_? Ya take me fer an idiot?”

      “Lena, please stop,” Rolan said, covering his eyes with his hand. “Can ya not start somethin’? She’s givin’ us a break, y’know.”

      Scoffing, Lena shoved the malasada in her mouth, pointedly avoiding both Rolan and B. The former met the latter’s gaze again with an apologetic expression, as though embarrassed by his partner’s temper, and sheepishly finished his own food, reaching for the tea to wash it down.

      “My name’s not  _really_ B,” B murmured, taking a sip of her drink. “It’s just convenient to go by, you know? If I give out my name, the bond is easier to form. Give out just B, and there’s still a part of me that they fail to see.”

      Lena’s scrunched her nose, giving B a quizzical look. Perhaps she had said too much, but B couldn’t be bothered by it. After all, she was trying to form some sort of bond with these two–a bond of trust that was likely not given to anyone outside their own, but as she met Lena’s steely, unrelenting gaze, B set down her tea, shrugging nonchalantly.

      “Fine,  _fine_ ,” B said in mock annoyance. “I don’t suppose there’s any way around it, is there?” She paused for a moment, finger running absentmindedly around the rim of her cup. “Bridget Burns, at your service. I’ve gone by B since….oh, I don’t know. My Magma days, I s’pose.” She fell silent, finally reaching for the malasada, and Rolan and Lena continued to shovel what was left on the plate into their mouths. B had only had the one, but she really wasn’t all that hungry to begin with. If they wanted the food, let them eat it; they needed it more than she.

      “Listen, you may think I don’t know what you’re going through, but trust me, I do.” They glanced at her momentarily, and the skepticism on their faces told B all she needed to know.  Leaning back, she took a bite of her malasada, wondering how the heck she was actually going to get through to them. If they were anything like she was, they were just as stubborn and unmoving as B had been in the day, and while not much had changed since then, B knew that there was a time and place to be a stubborn ass. At the mercy of a stranger with a strong team of Pokemon was not the time.

      “If you say so,” Lena hissed, rolling her eyes, and Rolan grunted in annoyance, elbowing his friend in the ribs as he finished the last of his food. B could see the flicker of irritation in her eyes as she threatened to round on him, but she thought better of it, stuffing the rest of her malasada in her mouth and reaching for her tea to wash it down.

      “Ya say ya were in Magma,” she said between drinks. “But ya don’t look like ya were. Us Skull carry it around with us forever.” She puffed out her chest, proud of her statement, and B simply rolled her eyes, finishing off her tea and rising to her feet.

      “Maybe I’ll tell you the story sometime then, kid. I can’t  _prove_ I was in Magma, but I can assure you that I was.” Her eyes flashed, and she set a bit of money on the table, leaving their server a tip for when they left. “Let’s get going.”

      Her voice was stern, and it took only a second for the Grunts to flank her on either side, unwilling to get into an argument in the midst of the restaurant. Still, neither of them were happy about it, and while she ushered them along, forcing them before her as they left the establishment, they  _still_ grumbled about being in her company. Even after she had gone so far as to offer them food…

      The thought made B grin, shaking her head as they moved along, carefully avoiding crowds when they could. The way they tried to act tough, to play everything cool, was so predictable of them that she found it rather difficult to fight off a laugh, and as B led them toward the docks, her hands wrapped around each of their upper arms, drawing them closer, as though to warn them to not try any of their shit.

      “Right, then, where do you guys live? I assume it’s not on this island.”

      Lena tugged her arm away, and B let it fall from her grasp without a fight. Rolan, on the other hand, glanced at B hesitantly, reaching for her hand to pry it away. Her brows raised when she looked at him, and he pointedly avoided striking, green eyes as he eased his arm from her hand.

      “On Ula’ula,” Rolan answered, fixing his gaze on the shining ocean. “In Po Town, to the north.” Lena strode forward proudly, chin up, before turning on the spot. Her hands fell to her hips and the look that she gave B was positively gloating, a wry grin curving the edges of her mouth.

      “Don’t think ya’ll get us there easily,” she said, almost laughing. The sudden change in her composure didn’t worry B, but even then, she was quite curious as to what it was Lena felt like rubbing in her face. “Even if ya get passed Plum, ya ain’t gonna get passed the  _Boss_.”

       _Ah, so that was it._  She was going to meet the Bosses of Team Skull first hand, was that it? Get her ass handed to her by, at most, three relatively strong trainers? B merely rolled her eyes at the thought, a dark chuckle escaping her lips as she strode forward, brow raised, her fiery gaze fixed on Lena’s bright, mocking eyes.

      “Right.” B did not seem convinced, and her arms folded over her chest as she drew herself up to full height, expression impassive, her lips a thin line. “You guys really don’t want to give me credit to how strong I really am, eh?”

      Rolan, who had found his way to Lena’s side, promptly threw up his hands, grimacing at her words. “Yo, I didn’t say that!” he exclaimed, obviously wanting to stay on B’s good side. She really wasn’t worried about him; he seemed more cooperative than Lena did, anyway, and B didn’t think he would try anything stupid…unless his friend got the better of him..

      Lena, on the other hand, seemed disgruntled by her partner’s apparently lack of motivation against B, and her hand curved into a fist as she nailed him on the shoulder, sharp knuckles smacking him roughly.

      “Ya never stick up for yerself!” she exclaimed with a roll of her eyes. “And ya call yerself _Skull_?

      “Sorry fer not wantin’ t’ get on her bad side!” he replied angrily, rubbing the part of his arm that she hit. “Didn’t ya see her Pokemon?! Shit could eat us for breakfast and still be hungry! I ain’t stupid!”

      A loud snort escaped B, and the Grunts turned their enraged gazes upon her as she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. Man, were these two something; if she didn’t get them back to their hideout soon, she wouldn’t be surprised if someone called the authorities on them.

      “Listen to you two,” she said, shaking her head. “Stop arguing, alright? One of these days, you’re just going to have to listen to me. Let’s just get you on the boat, and get you going before you get yourselves into any trouble. My Pokemon aren’t going to eat you, either.” Their expressions turned sheepish for a moment, and they both huffed, shoulders falling as they allowed B to usher them to the next boat for Ula’ula.

      “Now let’s get you out of here.”


	3. 3

      Hades roared.

      The dragon was just being a whiner. He hated water as it was, and the incessant rain that fell from the sky above Po Town was hardly what he would call his favorite weather. Still, as stern as she was with Lena and Rolan, she was with Hades, and the Hydreigon seemed to pout as he remained outside his pokeball, rather than safely inside.

       **“I don’t know what we’re getting into,** ” she murmured to the dragon, just out of earshot of the teenagers. “ **If it’s _anything_  like Magma, the leaders will be pretty strong.**”

      If she truly wanted to be intimidating, she could have brought out Titan, but the Tyrantrum had a weakness to water, far more than Hades did, and she didn’t want to make her pokemon to suffer through that. But at the moment, B wasn’t concerned in striking fear into the grunts around her. No, she’d bide her time…for now.

      Watching Lena and Rolan speak in front of her, Rolan seemed to be the more sensible of the pair, if a _Skull Grunt_ could be, trying to reason with his partner about B, no doubt. Lena did not seem convinced, however, as she glanced back at her, B met her gaze steadily, almost dully.

      “ **We’ll see how she holds up against Admin Plum.** ”

      Fast approaching their headquarters, B was met by a town surrounded by thick walls, either keeping everyone out…or everyone _in_. Regardless, she saw two Grunts, dressed identically to Rolan, standing guard outside, both making ridiculous waving motions with their arms.

      _Must be their thing, I guess_.

      Again, she could hardly feel intimidated as Rolan and Lena led her forward, and though the grunts prepared themselves to fight against her, the moment their eyes fell on Hades, they shrunk back, hiding away their pokeballs as though they didn’t have any pokemon themselves. The corners of her mouth twitched in amusement, and her eyes flashed dangerously as she and Hades passed thru the main doors, her head held high and proud. These kids would have been no match for her.

      “ **Yo, who’s _she_?** ”

      Though Rolan looked as though he was about to speak, Lena stood forward, her arms crossed after jabbing her thumb over her shoulder in B’s direction. 

      “ ** _She_ thinks she can waltz in an’ take us on,**” she began, much to B’s amusement. As though on cue, Hades landed beside her, and she leaned heavily against the hydreigon, tossing a pokeball–containing Titan–within her hand in a challenging fashion.

      “ **I don’t think so,** ” B interrupted, quirking a brow, a wry grin tugging at her lips. “ **I _know_  I can. But that’s for another time.**” Lena, displeased by the woman’s remark, made a noise of disgust, waving her hand as though she’d not heard her.

      “ **Anyway–** ”

      “ **Shut it, Lena,** ” Rolan said, rolling his eyes. “ **Just let us thru, yo. She ain’t gonna do shit. Lena’s just wantin’ to cause trouble for the bosses.** ” Lena’s eyes flashed dangerously at her companion, but she said no more, turning back to the two other grunts before them. Her hands had moved to her hips in a menacing posture, and rather than argue with the fiery grunt, they let her and Rolan by, followed closely like B.

      The town inside was just as dank and dreary as beyond the walls, except that every few feet, there were a few grunts standing guard, posed in ways they thought menacing…though to an outsider like B, they were only amusing.

      Despite the rainfall, the flap of Hades’ wings resonated around them, the sound creating an intimidating vibe around he and B, elevated by the lightning crackling across the sky. Truthfully, she wasn’t even trying; from what she could tell, every Grunt she saw were young, scared, and likely cold and soaked. Why they would be standing out in the rain was beyond her, but then again, there was always a motive behind a team’s plans. At least, as far as she knew.

      Though her feet and clothes were soaked thru, and her wine-colored hair was plastered to her ivory skin, her lips were still spread wide into a smug grin as her emerald eyes flashed about the area. However, as taken with the deserted buildings and shivering kids as she had, she’d not noticed the mansion ahead of them, and as they came suddenly on the doorstep, she was a tad taken aback. It was big, large enough to house all the grunts she had run into, yet there was a definitive lack of order as she approached, seeing the walls graffiti’d, the bushes lining either side looking as though they’d been crushed in their attempt to catch someone who’d fallen from a window.

      “ **This…is where you _live_?** ” Her voice was quiet, a hint of concern coloring it that completely flew over Lena’s head. The girl huffed as she kicked in the door, immediately turned on her heel to face B, her finger jabbing into her chest. Quite a bit shorter than her, B had to look down to better meet her eyes, and the rage that flared behind them hid what Lena did not want to share. Fear. Fear was definitely masked by the anger she showed.

      “ **Don’t talk _shit_  on what ya don’t know, got it?**” she growled, digging her finger into B’s chest. It was a tad painful as her nail pinched at her skin, though not enough to elicit a reaction. “ **Ya don’t know _shit_  about what we do here, got it?**”

      Though slightly irked by Lena’s response, B remained calm, her hand wrapping around Lena’s wrist as Rolan looked on in the background, his face slightly panicked as it appeared Lena was about to go to blows. Her face turned a deep red in color, her eyes narrowing angrily as though disgusted the B would touch her, and she wrenched her arm out of the woman’s grasp, huffing angrily as she marched inside.

      “ **Sorry ‘bout her,** ” Rolan said, running a hand over his head in embarrassment. “She’s always been a bit of a hothead.” He paused, motioning for her to follow him inside. “ **Jus’, don’t be surprised if ya don’t get the warmest welcome.** ”


	4. 4

      Chaos was certainly a theme with these Grunts.

      The moment she stepped in the mansion behind Rolan and Lena, B was met my raucous laughter, battling pokemon, and loud music carried throughout the foyer. Stuck in the doorway, Hades nudged the back of her head with a pitiful whine, and deciding  that he was better off in his pokeball, B called him back. Still, even with all her pokemon tucked safely away, she hardly felt outnumbered, even when she was drastically so. The pokemon that ran about the mansion’s floors–mostly rattata, drowsee, and a cutiefly here and there–were young, weak, and hardly matched against a powerful hydreigon as Hades.

      Lena dove through the crowd, leaving Rolan and B hovering at the entrance, watching the chaos ensue as the Grunts ran amok. Watching the two nearest battle it out with a drowsee and rattata, it was last minute that Bridget was able to avoid an attack by the former, which had missed its target by a long shot. She glanced at Rolan, who shrugged, beckoning for her to follow thru the crowd. Well aware of the countless eyes on her, B noticed more than a few hissing whispers as she passed.

      _Outsider._

_The Boss will kick her ass._

_Plumeria won’t be happy that Rolan and Lena brought another._

      Though the last comment struck a chord with her, she chose to ignore it as he led her to the base of the stairs in the center of room, stairs which Lena had alighted just moments before. The look on his face was far from pleased, and the closer B looked, fear flickered in his eyes as he raised his brows, shoulders heaving in a sigh.

      “ **Ya…better just wait here,** ” he finally said, bringing a hand to his brow. “ **I think she’s gone t’ get Admin Plum…and maybe the Boss. She…doesn’t really know how to keep herself in check; it ain’t the first time she’s done this. But last time, we ran ‘em out.** ” He paused, taking a few stairs, before stopping, turning back to B. “ **Thanks, though. Couldn’t tell ya how many people are willin’ t’ throw us in a juvie center than get us back here safely. ‘Course…people don’t really _like_  us either.**”

      He offered a thoughtful grin, before taking the stairs two at a time in search of Lena, and B found herself leaning against the banister, watching closely as the grunts resumed their activities. Nearest B was the pair battling with their rattata and drowsee, and she couldn’t help but to notice the female, whose drowsee could not land an attack, getting frustrated at the fact that she was not landing a single hit. The boy with the rattata looked rather smug, egging her on, as though to provoke her to fight him one-on-one, and as though her feet were walking on their own accord, B neared them both, clearing her throat.

      “ **You need a different pokemon if you want to take on his rattata,** ” B said, causing both of them to start in surprise as a stranger approached them.

      “ **Whu–** ” the girl began, turning around in surprise. This one looked even younger than Lena, probably only fifteen. “ **Who are _you_? Why do ya think ya can boss me around?!** ”

      _Great, another one_. Though B had half a mind to smack her upside the head, she forced a kind smile instead, gesturing at her drowsee.

      “ **Psychic doesn’t effect dark. You could throw move after move at that rattata, but your drowsee won’t hit it.** ” The girl stared at her in confusion, brows knitting together as her hands fell to her hips. “ **You’ll want to use something like this against a dark type.** ” Taking a pokeball from her hip, she tossed it out, unleashing a small, dog-like pokemon with a mystical aura about it. It stretched, its rear in the air as it’s tail wagged happily, the feelers coming from the bow on it’s neck hovering about the room curiously. The sylveon barked, bounding to B, her front paws coming to a rest on her trainer’s knee, demanding petting when he nose nudged her hand.

      “ **Breena is a fairy type, and it’s very strong against dark. Why don’t you try giving her an order?** ” Breena barked softly, pushing off of B’s leg and turning to face the grunt, wagging her tail excitedly. The grunt looked at the sylveon; from what B could tell, she girl had never seen a pokemon like Breena before, and she hesitated as she knelt, holding out a hand for the pokemon to sniff. Breena bounded happily toward her, jumping up to rest her paws on the girl’s shoulders, licking her forehead.

      Lucky for them both, Breena was a relatively young pokemon; she’d evolved into a sylveon not that long ago, and B had only had her for no more than a year beforehand. The girl rubbed Breena’s head hesitantly, and she chirped happily, ready to do as she said. The girl’s eyes flickering to B, she gave her an encouraging nod, before the grunt stood again, urging Breena to take her place.

      The chaos, once again, began to rumble about the room, and as B watched carefully, she leaned heavily against the banister, her arms crossing as her foot tapped impatiently. She still heard whispers, felt the gazes of grunts who passed her by, giving her a wide, wary berth. In all honestly, she wasn’t quite sure what she was still doing there; she had done as she intended, getting Lena and Rolan safely back to their home and there was no reason for her to remain. Of course, the way Lena had stormed in gave B pause for concern…there had to be more to it…

      “ **Oi, ya stole _my_  pokeball, ya shit!**”

      From the opposite side of the room, a few grunts had squared off against each other, one holding a pokeball in his hand, the other pointing angrily at the first. It piqued B’s interest as she watched, but made no attempt to break up whatever was about to happen. But from the look of it, each was close to beating on the other, and part of her wanted to step in and prevent it from happening. 

      “ **This one’s _mine_ , ya fuck!**” the other bellowed back, and slowly, a crowd began to gather around the two ruffians, whose fists were clenching angrily, trying to size themselves up against one another. B’s brow furrowed, her lips pouting in a frown; the last thing she needed was to be caught up in the middle of this, but as the crowd began to antagonize the two boys, B could only _sigh_ , knowing, very well, what was about to happen.

      Breena’s ears drooped as she stood behind the grunt’s legs, watching the commotion in fright. She was a gentle creature, and hearing the shouts and anger upset her quite a bit. The girl, who’d not noticed until Breena nuzzled against her legs, knelt to comfort the creature, glancing back at B, whose gaze fixed on the grunts about to fight.

      “ **Are ya gonna do somethin’?** ” she asked, her voice far kinder than it had been before. “ **They’re gonna get in trouble with the boss again if they keep fighting…** ”

      “ **Again?** ” B’s lips pursed, and her shoulders drooped. Though she did want to step in and stop them, at the same time, she did not want to interfere in _Skull_  activities, but as the boy with the pokeball threw the first punch, B started, torn. _Should_ she…?

      Though after even a few seconds passed, it seemed to be too late to interfere. The pokeball had gone flying through the air, bouncing several times on the floor before rolling to a stop at B’s feet. The grunts were on each other, beating the hell out of one another, and the hollering of the crowd had not subsided–in fact, it had grown louder by the second.  A deep sigh fell from B’s lips as she turned her attention to the pokeball at her feet, surprised when a small, scared caterpie shuddered around her, hiding behind for protection. The pokeball must have popped open in its landing. Pointedly ignoring the chaos, B knelt, scooping the caterpie up into her arms, holding it close to comfort it.

      “ ** _Shh, it’s okay, little one…_** ”

      Though her murmurs did some to help the caterpie calm, the raucous only caused it to shiver more, and she frowned angrily at those who had frightened it. Even Breena, and the girl who comforted her, stared at the grunts angrily. B’s nose wrinkling, she took a deep breath, as though to bellow at the grunts, but the moment her mouth opened, another, deeper voice, overshadowed hers.

      “ ** _Oi, what’s goin’ on here?!_** ”


	5. 5

      Silence. Complete, utter silence fell upon the foyer. B, whose back was to the stairs, felt a chill run down her spine, and the caterpie, hearing it as well, crawled up, poking its head over her shoulder to better see who came. Slowly turning on the spot, Breena suddenly dashed to her trainer from the grunt’s arms, laying between B’s legs, closing her eyes tightly, her body shivering slightly.

      Lena led the way down the stairs, looking frightened and embarrassed, with Rolan right on her tail. Both had been changed out of their soaking clothes, making B very aware of how cold she actually was in. Water still dripped down her face and her pants clung to her legs uncomfortably, and while the caterpie in her arms squirmed, it seemed to drink up the bit of water that stayed on her skin.

      Lena and Rolan came to a halt on either side of B, standing beside her with their eyes focused on those who followed. In the front was a woman, short, slender, and a perpetually angered look on her features. Yellow and pink pigtails sprouted from either side of her head, and her half-lidded eyes and pouted lips gave her a less-than-approachable vibe. This woman must have been Plumeria, from what she had heard of the two beside her. 

      Reaching the bottom of the stairs, her eyes were fixed on B, her intimidating gaze unwavering. The caterpie shivered under Plumeria’s resolute stare, hiding its face from view as the Admin came to a halt right before the three. Behind her, however, was the man that B could only place as the _Boss_. 

      He swaggered lazily down the steps, a hand ruffling the back of his wild, white mane. He seemed disinterested, at best, and though mild annoyance seemed to rest on his features, a cocky, crooked grin spread wide across his face. He passed right over B and the grunts, though it did not stop his eyes from locking on hers for a brief moment, brows quirking, before his attention turned to the grunts, who still punched each other on the grown.

      “ **Alright, ya lil’ shits, break it up.** ” His voice was gruff, and he grunted as he bent over, grabbing both boys by the scruffs of their shirts. They squirmed in protest, and he released them, but smacked them both upside the head a moment later. “ **Don’t ya have somethin’ better to do than fight over…what the hell are ya even fighting over?** ”

      As each of the grunts tried to pounce on each other again, he’d grabbed them both by the upper arms; B could not see his face, but judging by the expressions on the grunts’, he was likely not impressed. B couldn’t help but to watch on in amusement, her hand hovering over her mouth as she stifled a small chuckle.

      “ ** _He_  stole my pokemon!**” the first growled, jabbing his finger into the other’s chest.

      “ **Did _not_ , it was _my_  pokeball!**”

      She could visibly see the boss sigh in annoyance; scratching the back of his head, he shrugged, turning on the grunts, rolling his eyes. “ ** _Right_ , what pokemon are ya sayin’ he stole? An’ why aren’t ya takin’ better care of your _partner_. It ain’t gonna grow if ya don’t show it any love.** ”

      The grunt, who the caterpie belonged to, pointed at B and the shivering pokemon in her arms. Her soaking clothes probably didn’t do well to settle it, but still, her arms wrapped tightly around the frightened creature, as their boss turned his gaze on B, cocky grin reappearing on his face.

      “ **Looks like she’s takin’ better care of it than ya are,** ” he drawled, strolling lazily to where B stood. His brows raised as he eyed her, noticing everything from her sopping clothes to her resolute expression to the protectiveness with which she held the caterpie. He even noted the sylveon, hiding between her legs, with a low chuckle, and he held out his hands, as though offering to take the caterpie off her hands.

      “ **Look at the lil guy,** ” he continued, eyes fixing on the shivering caterpie. “ **He ain’t gonna get anywhere if you’re letting someone else get their hands on him.** ” Though his voice had a mocking edge to it, B could see the anger in his expression at the lack of care the grunt had for the bug. His eyes meeting hers again, he moved his hands, as if asking for the caterpie, and slowly, she raised the creature for it to crawl from her arms and into his. Though the caterpie gave her an almost _longing_ look, it immediately crawled into his arms, curling up against his chest before coming to a rest on his shoulder, perched as though keeping a watch on all that went on around them.

      “ **He’s gonna stay with me a bit, I think.** ” He patted the caterpie, which closed it’s eyes lazily and happily, making a small, chirping noise in glee. Breena, who rose from behind B, poked around her legs, stepping between her trainer and the boss of Team Skull, taking a moment to sniff his pants in interest, the tendrils of her bows ‘feeling’ him carefully. “ **Ya both got a lot to learn about pokemon, and if you’re reckless like this, you’re gonna get more than just yer _partner_  hurt.**”

      Both grunts looked disheartened at his words, and he shrugged, raising a brow when he cast a glare at them both. B watched the scene skeptically; true they were reckless–she’d _never_  allow her pokemon to get into such a predicament–but they were _kids_. Someone needed to teach them! Hell, even when she was just starting out, she always called her parents for advice…

      “ _ **You**_ **.** ” Suddenly the attention was on her, and she raised her brows cooly, awaiting his next move.

      “ ** _Me_ ,**” she replied haughtily, her hands coming to a rest on her hips. Breena, who had been hovering around him, darted back to B, hiding behind her trainer’s legs once again, her ears drooping.

      He seemed amused by her spunk, the corners of his mouth twitching. “ **You ain’t from around here, are ya?** ” he continued, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his arms folding as he straightened up. She was shorter than he was, but not by much, and their eyes were on the same level as they stared each other down. The tension in the room could have been sliced with a knife, it was so thick, and the grunts all watched in anticipation, wondering what the next move might be. Lena and Rolan stiffened; it was _their_  fault that whatever would happen to B would happen–after all, it was Lena who had gone to the boss about the stranger who’d brought them back safely.

      “ **For god’s sake, just get _on_ with it,**” snapped Plumeria, who had, up until now, silently watched from her spot next to the steps. “ **Don’t make a _show_  out of it, Guzma.**” She paused, her sharp eyes flickering across the room, a brow raised as the grunts were focused on them. “ **Get back to it, all of ya!** ”

      Without hesitation, the grunts did as they were told, and the ruckus of the mansion started back up again, the dull roar nearly causing B to miss what the boss– _Guzma_ –said next.

      “ **You, come with _me_ ,**” he said, unimpressed gaze flickering to Plumeria, his nose wrinkling as he fought back a retort. Hesitantly, she followed; what she was about to get herself into, she did not know, nor was she sure she _wanted_  to, but as Guzma alighted the stairs, Breena following on his heels, B brought up the rear with Plumeria, whose cold gaze fixed before her.

      _How the hell did I get here?_


	6. 6

      B shivered, passing thru the threshold of the room she was led to, Breena right on her heels, whining softly at the tense atmosphere between the three. It had been quite a journey to get into the makeshift bosses ‘office,’ if it could be called that. Up a flight of stairs and climbing out a window, B wondered how many grunts actually had the willpower to make it _to_  their leader’s quarters. She’d nearly slipped on the walkway outside of the window; had it not been for Plumeria’s quick thinking–as though she’d done this numerous times before–and Guzma’s hand shooting out to wrap around her upper arm, she could have been in a _very_  bad situation. _At least that explains the crushed bushes_ , she thought, ducking in through the window, Breena whining at her feet.

      Water splatted against B’s already wet legs as the sylveon shook, and a moment later, the creature had jumped up, resting her front paws slightly above B’s knees, continuing her pitiful whine. She felt for Breena; B had not become any more less soaked since stepping foot in the mansion, though as she raised her gaze to Skull’s leaders, she was met with a face-full of fluffy towels, warm and dry, the last thing she honestly expected.

      “ **Dry up, alright? Last thing ya need is t’ catch a cold and give it t’ the grunts.** ” Her brows knitted together when she glanced at him, and Guzma had strolled to a makeshift ‘throne,’ plopping himself on the seat, legs over one armrest as he leaned heavily against the other. He messed absentmindedly with the watch on his wrist, watching closely as B began to dry off Breena. Plumeria took a seat on the expansive bed opposite of B, her eyes narrowed in suspicion at the stranger, clearly distrusting of her. She tried to ignore the pointed stares as she dried herself off, from tousling her hair to wringing her shorts as best she could. _Hell_ , she even kicked off her shoes, sending them flying, one of them tumbling under the bed on which Plumeria sat.

      “ **So what do ya think yer doin’ here, _huh?_** ” Plumeria growled, her arms crossed, her leg jiggling as it crossed over the other. “ **Gonna try and turn us in?** ”

      “ **Plums, _chill_ ,**” Gumza sighed, turning his lazy gaze toward her. “ **Ya’d think she’d have brought th’ _pigs_  with her if that was the case.**”

      “ **Maybe she thought ahead so it wouldn’t be obvious, dumbass,** ” she quipped, eyes narrowed.

      “ **I’m still here, in case you were wondering,** ” B interrupted, peeling her soaked socks off of her before drying her feet. “ **I’m not any interested in turning you lot in.** ”

      Plumeria didn’t seem convinced, but she huffed, turning her gaze away from B. Her jeans were getting uncomfortable, the longer she wore them; they rubbed against her skin, and she could feel the chafing against her thighs every time she moved. While she wasn’t about to ask for a dry change of clothes, she was perfectly content to show her discomfort outwardly, casting each of the them displeased glances, peeling the socks off of her now-wrinkly feet.

      “ **Ya got somethin’ that’ll fit her, Plums? She–** ”

      “ **No.** ” She did not seem so eager to welcome B into their hideout, and after a moment–and a distrusting glare shot at the other woman–she rose from the bed, lip curling when she cast her gaze on Guzma. “ **Deal with her how you like, G. I’m not too interested in keepin’ her around.** ”

      She’d left the moment she stopped speaking, leaving B and Guzma in the room alone. B stared after her, nose wrinkled; for god’s sake, were all these people like this? She was beginning to regret even showing up, and as her hands reached up to wring out her sopping hair, a snort from behind her had emerald eyes fixing on the man, the _Boss_  of this team.

      “ **She gets some gettin’ used to,** ” he said, nodding after her. “ **She’s something else, but she’s got her heart in the right place. Cares for the kids, ya know.** ”

      “ **So I see,** “ she replied, frowning slightly as she watched him. His gaze traveled to the caterpie still on his shoulders, and while the creature still seemed rather shaken from what had just happened in the foyer, it had warmed up immediately to Guzma. He cooed at the pokemon, running the back of his fingers along the caterpie’s face, and the bug closed its eyes lazily, _happily_ , chirping contentedly as it knew it was now in safe hands.

      “ **Are all these kids trying to be edgy? What are you trying to _do_?** ” B’s voice was strong, concerned and yet demanding, and it was then that Guzma turned his attention back to her, his grin falling into a sort of grimace, and he shifted in his seat, sitting on it properly, hands clasping before his face.

      “ **I’m tryin’ t’ give these kids a place to belong, _that’s_  what,**” he replied, almost defensively. “ **They’re outcasts, ya know. They need a place t’ call home.** ” 

      B’s brows raised when he spoke, but she accepted his answer for what it was; though she could relate to the kids, she still couldn’t understand why they’d want to stay in an old, run-down mansion in the pouring rain. But then again, they were young, looking for somewhere to belong, and for kids of their age, B knew _exactly_  what it was like.

      “ **Here, her gonna get sick if ya stay in those clothes.** ” As she toweled off her hair, Guzma had been rummaging through a drawer, pulling forth a crumpled heap of dry clothing. It was wrinkled, and larger than would fit B, but she appreciated it nonetheless. She dropped the now-sopping towel to the ground beside her, Breena taking a second to sniff it as her trainer graciously took the clothing from Guzma.

      “ **Thanks,** ” she muttered with a nod, an appreciative grin lifting her features. “ **But you know, so far you guys aren’t really living up to the reputation I’ve heard of your team.** ”

      Guzma snorted, tuning his back as she began undoing the white belts around her waist. “ **Not from ‘round here, eh?** ” he mused, rubbing the end of his nose as he crossed his arms. “ **Ya stick out like a sore thumb, ya know.** ”

      “ **Only a few months,** " she replied, dark soaking shorts dropping to her ankles with a wet _fwump_. “ **Though I’d like to think that I’ve gotten acclimated well enough.** ”

      Hearing her shorts hit the ground, Guzma glanced over his shoulder slightly, a smirk lifting his features as she wiggled into a baggy pair of black sweatpants. He’d been caught, however; her piercing glance found his the moment she’d straightened up, her brow raising, yet she merely shrugged, raising his hands in defeat before him, crossing his arms again.

      Though unbothered, B still turned her back on him when removing her top. It proved difficult for her–it was still wet, and clung to her even more tightly than normal, but after a moment of struggling, it too was on the ground, replacing it with the white shirt she had been given.

      “ ** _Anyway_ ,**” she continued, ruffling her hair nonchalantly as she turned back to face him. “ **What are your goals with all of–** ” she paused, waving her hand vaguely, “ **–this? Team Magma was hellbent on the destruction of the world, for some damn reason. Don’t tell me that’s what _you’re_  after, too.**”

      Guzma had since returned to his ‘throne,’ rubbing his chin in thought, watching B closely. Slowly, he shook his head, smirk still in place as she spoke. “ **Nah, we’re just demandin’ the respect we deserve! These kids were driven from their shitty families, y’know? They need somewhere t’ belong.** ” Though his expression was still smug, just as cocky as he had been the moment she stepped foot in the hideout, B could see his eye twitch, anger flashing across his dark eyes as he spoke. She huffed; while her own family had been supportive of her and her endeavors, she could relate in a way, back in Hoenn, but she couldn’t imagine a family that would hurt her as these kids had been hurt.

      “ **I know what you mean,** ” she replied thoughtfully, striding casually the bed opposite of her, flopping lazily upon it.  “ **I _was_ in Team Magma. I _know_ what it’s like, and that’s why I’m here. I’m not a fighter, and I sure as hell don’t want to turn you in. I brought back those Grunts, Lena and Rolan, because they’d get themselves into deep shit if they continued trying to battle any trainer they’d run into.**”

      A silence fell heavy between them, B’s face filled with concern, Guzma’s impassive as he was lost in thought. He shifted, leaving forward while his elbows rested on his knees, hands clasped before his face.

      “ **What’s yer name?** ”

      “ **B.** ”

      Guzma gave her a flat stare, tongue lolling out of his mouth, unimpressed with her reply. “ **I’m not a dumbass, _B_.** ”

      She sighed. While her name only carried any sort of influence in Kanto and Johto, she still did not like speaking it plainly to a man she had just met. Regardless, if she wanted to help the kids that lived in the run-down mansion, she couldn’t exactly _hide_  herself from them. They needed to know her, just as she needed to know then.

      “ **You got me,** ” she whined, albeit sarcastically. “ **I’m Bridget Burns, nothing fancy or famous or anything. Just Bridget.** ”

      “ **Bridget,** ” he repeated with a nod, rising to his feet, rolling his shoulders as he straightened up, and clearing the distance between them in a matter of seconds, he came to a stop before her, brow raising, lips twitching in a smirk. She continued to sit, cross-legged, on the bed, vaguely interested in the matter at hand. The kids needed help; there was only so much that he and Plumeria could provide them, and while her reputation might be tarnished for their association, it was worth it.

      “ **I’ve got a proposition for ya,** ” he continued, one hand shoving deeply into his pocket, the other rubbing his neck nonchalantly. “ **Ya obviously care about these kids, even after Lena and Rolan tried takin’ ya on. I dunno what kind of power you and yer Pokemon have,** ” he paused, glancing at the sylveon, who sniffed at his feet curiously, “ **but ya want t’ help the grunts, an’ that’s what’s important. Plums might kick my ass fer this later, but what d’ya say about joinin’ our wretched hive of scum an’ villainy, eh? Could use someone like you.** ”

      She kicked out her legs from underneath her, letting them dangle over the edge of the bed, considering his proposal. Her lips pursed, her forefinger tapping lightly against them, and her eyes flickered upward to meet his, her head tilting thoughtfully to the side.

      “ **You don’t know a thing about me,** ” she answered, trying to hide a smirk behind her hand. “ **For all you know, I could be trying to tear you down from the inside out.** ”

      “ **Nah, I don’t think so** ,” he quipped with a quirk of his brows. “ **Ya seem t’ know yer shit; saw ya helpin’ the Grunt trying t’ battle a rattata with her drowzee, showin’ her how t’ do it properly. Means a lot to them, y’know? Ya got heart, B. It’s just what these kids need.** ”

      Holding out his hand, B glanced at his skeptically, before slowly slipping off the bed, rising to her feet as her hand rested on her hip. Brows raising, her lips curved into a slight smirk, and she rocked on the balls of her feet, maintaining eye contact the entire time. She wasn’t about to let herself work _beneath_  someone; it was not her way, not after Team Magma. However, seeing the slight irritation flash across his eyes as she kept him waiting was enough to keep him waiting.

      “ **You know,** ” she said,  gently pushing his hand downward, fingertips tapping lightly against the back of his hand. “ **You haven’t _actually_ introduced yourself to me. I’m not too keen on working _with_  someone who’s not even told me his name.**”

      He huffed, in a sort of defeated laugh, rolling his eyes in slight amusement, though he shrugged nonetheless. “ **Alright, B, ya got me,** ” he replied smoothly, arms crossing. “ **Guzma, Team Skull Boss, at yer service.** ” He jerked his chin upward in a sort of greeting, like a thuggish nod that had B forcing herself not to laugh, though by the roll of his eyes and slight shake of his head, she could tell that she had failed. 

      “ **Skull Boss _Guzma_ ,**” she mused, rolling the words around on her tongue. “ **Skull Boss Guzma…Skull Boss–** ”

      “ **Alright, B,** ” he growled, eyes flashing dangerously. “ **Are ya–** ”

      “ **You’ve got yourself a deal!** ” she interrupted, grasping his hand firmly within hers, her features lifted in a smug grin. “ **Just don’t expect me to move all my things here, I _just_  got unpacked.**”

      “ **Wouldn’t _dream_  of it,**” he replied, raising a brow as he watched her, his face becoming impassive as his gaze swept across her face. A hint of a grin lifted his features as he returned the handshake, and his other hand clapped her shoulder, pleased, chuckling lightly. “ **’Sides, what if I need a place t’ crash, and I happen t’ be on yer island? Not gonna leave me out in the rain, are ya?** ”

      “ **Then you get the _floor_ ,**” she laughed, releasing his hand after one last shake. “ **The Pokemon get the couch, _Guzma_. And don’t even think of stealing the bed.** ”

      “ ** _’Course,_** ” he replied with a shrug, though B remained skeptical. Last thing she needed was to bring guests into her home, only to find Skull’s boss passed out on her couch. Still, he did not seem bothered by the fact that her Pokemon to run the place, and his grin only grew wider at the thought of it. “ **Ya respect yer Pokemon, I like that. The Grunts could learn a bit from ya.** ”

      “ _Naturally_ ,” B responded cheekily, turning away as she ruffled her hair, not wanting it to dry, plastered to her head. She shivered, however, realizing how cold she’d become after being in the pouring rain as long as she had. Not to mention, there seemed to be no source of heat in the mansion, and despite being in a tropical region, Po Town was colder than the rest of Alola she’d visited thus far. Nose wrinkling as her hands rubbed her arms vigorously, she glanced over her shoulder, raising a brow.

      “ **You have a sweater or something? I’m a bit chi–** ”

      Before she could finish, a jacket had been tossed at her face, landing with a soft _fwump,_ obscuring her vision. It was warm, and no sooner had she thrown it over her shoulders than she realized it was Guzma’s. He rolled his shoulders nonchalantly, readjusting the oddly shaped glasses on his head, giving  her a smug glance when he met her gaze.

      “ **Ah, _thanks_ ,**” she mused, pulling the hood over her head, zipping herself up nice and snug. “ **I hope you don’t want this back anytime soon.** ” As though on a whim, she waved her arms about in a ridiculous fashion, akin to the Grunts, making a fool of herself, no doubt, but filling the roll she needed to, or so she thought. “ **I’ll fit right in in no time.** ”

      A laugh in the form of a huff escaped him as he approached, a hand landing heavily on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. “ **Least I could do, B. Yer doin’ us a favor and I gotta return it…no matter how big of an ass ya make yerself out t’ be.** ”

    Her arms finally dropped to her sides, though she was not the least bit bothered by his remark. “ **Might take a bit more than a warm jacket for _that_** ,” she grinned as he brushed passed, pushing the door open. A loud ruckus from below altered them that the fight from earlier had picked right up after Guzma left the foyer. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned, shaking his head in irritation before shifting his half-lidded gazing lazily toward B.

      “ **Hopefully _officially_  introducin’ ya will get ‘em to shut the hell up, eh? Maybe they’ll be scared that ya’ll _B-eat_  ‘em up!**” Pleased by his terrible joke, he should a glance at B who, try as she might, fought back a laugh, miserably failing and forcing herself to cover her mouth as she snorted.

      “ **You have a _terrible_  sense of humor, you know that, right?**”

      “ **Just one of my _many_  charms, B,**” he chuckled with a quirk of his brows, a cocky grin on his face. “ **The ladies _love_  it.**”

      “ **Riiiiight,** ” she groaned, still biting back laughter, stifling her giggled behind her hand. “ **Let’s just get this over with.** ”


	7. 7

       _Shit_ , these kids needed guidance.

      While Guzma descended the stairs, B contented herself to lean against the banister, watching the scene play out from above. Breena hovered around her legs; the sylveon watched the grunts fight, her fur raising between her shoulders in agitation, feeling the hostility emanate from the grunts, and B could only kneel, running her hand along the creature’s back, assuring her that all would be well. The Caterpie that had been rescued earlier was happily snoozing on Guzma’s ‘throne,’ and perhaps it was good that he had taken the Pokemon from them, as its trainer was not done defending it from the other boy. And yet, he had been laid flat on the ground, the Grunt who had tried to steal the Pokemon throwing punch after punch, angered and unrelenting. If they were not stopped soon, she was certain that the boy on the ground, the one who appeared to be drifting quickly into unconsciousness, would suffer lasting damaged.

     Her gaze traveled about the foyer, taking in the Grunts below. Half the group seemed to be frozen in fear, unwilling or fearful to try and jump in, and the other half cheering on the fight as it continued. She scanned the crowd for Lena and Rolan; she’d not seen anything of them since leaving Guzma’s room, and she was rather concerned that the two might have been in on the jeering to egg on the fight. However, as she continued to search, her gaze finally fixed on  a pair of grunts, oblivious to the happenings around them. Rolan and Lena stood a bit away from the main part of the crowd, the former nursing a bloody nose as the latter wiped blood of his chin with her bandana. He was bent slightly, whether to try and catch the blood in his hands or to make it easier for Lena to reach, B did not know, but concern crossed her features quickly. From what she could tell, he’d tried to step in, but it only earned him a painful punch to the face.

      “ **Alright, ya idiots, break it up!** ” Guzma shoved his way through the tight-knit crowd, towering over dozens of Grunts who stood in his way. Clearly unimpressed, the glower on his face caused the Grunts to dodge out of the way fearfully, creating a path to the brawl before them. Still, there were several who did not take to his warning, and continued to bar the Boss from reaching the other two as they egged on the fight. Growling in irritation, he shouldered his way through, surprise crossing his features briefly as they did not seem to notice him as they jeered. With an angered grunt, he grabbed the first by the shoulders, shoving him away roughly, and causing the other, a girl, to squeal in surprise, falling over herself as she struggled to get out of the way.

      “ **Get outta my way!** ” he growled, and the remaining Grunts scattered instantly, stumbling over one another in fright. His lip curled, finally breaking through, and launching himself into the middle of the damned fight, angered irritation spread darkly across his face. How the _hell_  were these kids gonna learn anything if they kept at it with their idiocy?! Course, that didn’t mean _he_  wasn’t an idiot either; hell, Plums reminded him every day of it. But still, these kids were looking for a home, a place to _fit in_. Kicking the shit out of each other wasn’t the best way to go about it.

      B was still perched on the staircase, eyes narrowing as she watched Guzma grab one boy by the scruff of his shirt, yanking him away from the one on the ground. He put up a fight, that was certain; even as Guzma attempted a headlock, he grunted when an elbow met his gut, knocking the wind out of him, forcing the Boss to release the other. She thought she could see the boy on the ground mutter something, attempting to sit up, but the first was right back at it again, fist after fist punching his face without falter. Eyes quickly scanning the crowd before trying to jump into the fray herself, B noticed that Rolan’s nose did not slow its bleeding, and she descended the last few steps with a jump, Breena quick on her tail, using the path created by Guzma to slip through the crowd quickly and without notice. Lena’s eyes flashed toward B, relief washing over her features as the elder woman quickly approached, dodging out of the way as one of the Grunts in the fight was suddenly thrown across the floor.

      “ **Pinch your nose and lean forward, kid,** ” B said, stepping over the boy on the ground quickly, just a moment before he’d gotten up again. “ **It’ll help the bleeding slow down a bit, okay?** ” Taking Lena’s bandana, she covered his nose as he nodded, doing exactly as she said. Blood ran down his chin and neck, soaking through the top of his shirt; she was a bit surprised at how hard he’d been hit, now that she was up front and close, but it didn’t matter now. All B could do was stop the bleeding for now, and hopefully bring the chaos down, once Rolan was taken care of.

      The bandana was damp within seconds, and B could already feel the blood soaking thru to her fingers. Her nose wrinkled unhappily, and she continued wiping up the blood gingerly, noting each and every time Rolan seemed to wince or grunt in pain. Gaze flickering to Lena, the Grunt met her eyes and nodded instantly, as though reading exactly what B needed. It was obvious, really, as she pulled away her blood covered hand, bandana dripping crimson, and not seconds later she disappeared into the jeering crowd, slipping through a doorway to the right, searching for more towels to clean up the mess. B was thankful for her help, and she turned her focus back on Rolan, shaking her head defeatedly while she helped clean up.

      “ **Didn’t take you as a fighter, Rolan,** ” she said, drawing away the now-useless bandana brows raising as her free hand touched his nose gingerly. Though he winced, an obvious reaction to a broken nose, it seemed to have slowed down, but his face was still a pale, bloody mess, and he continued to pinch it shut, dark eyes finding hers.

      “ **I was trying to _stop_  them, B,**”he said thickly. “ **I didn’t expect them to break my damn nose!** ”

      She sighed, rolling her eyes as Lena suddenly reappeared, faster than she expected, but appreciated nonetheless. She was holding a mess of towels in her fists, all black with white trim along the edges, throwing some over her shoulder as she held out several for B to take. The exchange was quick, and soon enough, both B and Lena were cleaning off Rolan’s face as he groaned in pain, the bloody rags forming a small pile on the ground between them. The bleeding had come to a stop by now, and they noticed as there weren’t any fresh trails as they wiped away the semi-dried blood that had coalesced onto his skin. Rolan straightened up, releasing his nose gently, though he still ran them down the length of it, wincing as the pain had not stopped. The three of them had almost forgotten about the dispute between the other grunts, having been so caught up in fixing Rolan’ nose, until there was a muffled thud, followed by Guzma swearing loudly, and B turned on the spot, Lena and Rolan flanking her on either side, her eyes fixing on the fight before them.

      His jaw had been clipped, and as he stumbled back, his lips were twisted in a feral growl as he rubbed the reddening area with the ball of his palm. The hostile grunt had turned on Guzma as the other lay, unconscious on the ground, and his fists clenched before him as he challenged the boss, himself. Mild amusement flickered across Guzma’s dark eyes, and a grin lifted his bleeding lip as he nodded for the other to approach. It was all B had to keep herself from rolling her eyes at the scene; the idiot was about to beat up one of his underlings, and while it might have been well deserved as she watched the kid on the ground, it wasn’t any way to get something through to him. She would have dragged her hands down her face, had she not cared to have Rolan’s blood marking her skin.

      Breena circled the three of them, whining in fright as her bright eyes flashed, her ears pressed to her scalp, tail tucked between her legs. The sylveon was stressed, unwilling to stay any longer, and though she would not leave her trainer’s side, she still found it difficult not to cry out. Cowering behind Lena’s legs, the pokemon’s feelers wrapped lightly around her, projecting a soothing aura upon the girl, despite the animosity she felt emanating throughout the area. Sensing more bad than good coming out of the situation,  B started toward the fight, leaving Rolan and Breena in Lena’s care, fully prepared to get decked in the face as the Grunt’s fists swung wildly, trying to land a hit on Guzma, who easily dodged each blow. 

      From a door to the right, where Lena had disappeared to earlier, Plumeria burst forth, shoving her way through the crowd without a second thought. Just as well; she and B reached the Grunts and Guzma at the same time, locking eyes and nodding stiffly at one-another before launching themselves in, each grabbing the flailing Grunt by the arms and dragging him away. Yelping, he tried to throw them off, hands reaching for whatever he could find, legs kicking out in an angered haze. Guzma, wiping blood from his split lip on the back of his hand, lifted the half-conscious Grunt from the floor, heaving him over his shoulder with a grunt. He was delirious, bloody and bruised, eyes unfocused as he tried to string two words together unsuccessfully. Nodding toward a pair of Grunts, they approached him without a word, another pair following them to the Boss.

      “ **Take this idiot t’ his room,** ” he growled, and the four of them nodded furiously, easing the unconscious Grunt off of Guzma’s shoulder, making sure not to drop him on the ground. Two at his head and one at either leg, they hurried him out of the room, one of the girls standing on the sideline  and rushing before them to open the door leading further on.

      B grunted as she and Plumeria held onto the flailing boy, but before she could say a word, Plumeria headbutted him, rendering him unconscious. While not as bad off as the other, he was still rather bruised as the women dragged his limp body off to a worn, beat up couch, dropping him roughly onto the cushions. B stood back, inspecting the Grunt with an exasperated sight, her eyes rolling in disapproval. The hell was she getting herself into? Regardless, the boy groaned, his eyes cracked open slightly, staring vaguely in her direction. She doubted he’d recognize her there, and after a moment, she turned her back

      “ **Y’all need t’ cut yer shit, ya here me?!** ” The entire room fell silent, hushed murmurs accompanying wide, frightened as the Grunts stood in a circle around Guzma. He called from the center of the room, lifting the white tank he wore, wiping the blood off his face messily, making more of a mess across his face than cleaning it. Letting the now bloodied shirt fall, he cracked his neck, shoulders rolling as he stretched himself. He rubbed his jaw vaguely, the red mark growing darker by the minute, no doubt the beginning of a dark bruise. “ **The hell were these two idiots fightin’ for, anyway?** ”

      The crowd had not yet dispersed, but neither had anyone spoken up. B and Plumeria steadily approached, wearing identical, irate expressions, eyes flashing dangerously about the area. B, though not angry like Guzma or Plumeria, seemed disappointed in the lot of them, and her features surely showed it; with each pair of eyes she met instantly dropped, as though being reprimanded, and as they fell upon Lena and Rolan, they too looked away, the latter’s, eyes flickering to the unconscious boy on the couch, nose wrinkled in mild disgust.

      “ **He was antagonized,** ” Rolan said, drawing the gazes of everyone in the room, eyes fixed on him curiously. Guzma slowly turned on the spot, dark eyes flashing in interest. “ **The other,** ” he continued, clearing his throat anxiously, shifting his gaze to B, whose brow was raised in question.“ **Brendon, he kept sayin’ shit ‘bout his Caterpie and he wasn’t havin’ anymore of it. Tried t’ stop ‘em, but it didn’t work as well as I hoped.** ”  


      An annoyed sigh escaped Guzma as he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. There was a silence upon everyone that B had yet to hear; even she waited to hear what he had to say with bated breath, not out of fear, but curiosity, and her eyes traveled slowly around the room, catching glances here and there of the young, frightened kids who hardly knew what the hell they were doing.

       “ ** _Whatever_ ,**” he finally growled, hand falling from his face as his arms crossed, eyes flashing dangerously about the room. All eyes were upon him again, and he was far from impressed as they watched.  His head turned slowly, a single brow raised as he looked at each of them in turn. “ **Any o’ ya pull this shit again an’ I’ll personally kick yer asses, ya got it?** ”

      There was a murmur through the crowd, each Grunt pointedly avoiding each other’s gazes. B crossed her arms, still wrapped up in Guzma’s over-sized jacket, drawing a suspicious glance from Plumeria, but saying nothing nonetheless. There was tension between them, nothing hostile, but B couldn’t blame her, really. She was a stranger, a person completely unfamiliar with Alola and Skull, and could very easily turn on them if she wanted. She wasn’t _going_  to, but regardless, she knew it was a reasonable thought.

      Turning on his hell amid the Grunts, circling in place as he stared them down, Guzma jabbed a thumb at B from over his shoulder, and their attention drew to her as she stood, rather unimpressed, among them. She met their eyes steadily, as though daring them to say something, but the moment her eyes met theirs, their gazes dropped, as though ashamed.

      “ **Listen up,** ” he called, sharp gaze flickering between the Grunts. “ **This is B. If me or Plums ain’t around t’ keep ya lil shits from getting yer asses beaten, _she_ will. Listen t’ her and ya’ll be good. An’ if yer bein’ an ass, she’ll kick yers, got it?**”

      A murmur of agreement echoed throughout the crown, and the Grunts slowly dispersed, save for Rolan and Lena, who watched B in confusion, wondering how the hell she had managed to get a position within their Team. Lena was disgruntled, Rolan pleased, and though they both had it in them to question her, seeing Guzma and Plumeria nearby, they decided against it, shuffling further along the room.

      Guzma, heaving his shoulders in a deep sigh, ran a hand through his fluffy, white hair, swaggering toward where B and Plumeria stood. His irritation was soon replaced by a smug smirk, and his arms draped casually over each of them, giving them a slight shake.

      “ **Welcome home, B** ,” he chuckled, his hand plopping atop her head, ruffling her still-damp hair.  She shook her head with a huff, wrinkling her nose; she could already feel herself wondering if this was the right decision, but at the same time, if a fist fight was the only way to settle a dispute, she was certain she was needed. Regardless, she stuck her tongue out at him, earning a her a chuckle and yet again, he was ruffling her hair with a sly grin.

      “ **First person to throw a punch at me gets their ass handed to them** ,” she growled, fixing her hair _again_ , after he’d messed it twice. Plumeria, on the other side of him, made a disgruntled sound, brow raised skeptically at both B and Guzma, her lips pressed thin, yet remaining silent nonetheless. It took only seconds for Guzma to notice her hesitant demeanor, and he shook her roughly, the woman growling in derision as she jabbed her sharp elbow into his side. He grunted, arm falling from her shoulder to clutch his ribs, and B took the distraction as an opportunity to duck away as well, hiding an amused grin behind her hand.

      “ **Ya think this is a _good_ idea?** ” she hissed, glancing momentarily at B, who had since bitten back her laughter, before Plumeria’s steely gaze fixed on Guzma again. “ **She ain’t even from around here!** ”

      “ **Even better!** ” he grunted in return.  “ **Ain’t had a chance for the--** ,” he paused, his lip curling as his features darkened, “ **the self-proclaimed ‘ _good guys_ ’ t’ corrupt her.**” There was a hateful sneer fixed on his face, one to match Plumeria’s as they turned their gazes toward B. It was a bit intimidating, but she held her ground, staring steadily back at them. Guzma was dark, Plumeria cold and calculating, but after a few moments, they both sighed, shoulders falling.  


      “ **I don’t hate ya,** ” Plumeria finally said, her arms crossed, and though she still seemed pissed, her voice did not reflect her expression. “ **I jus’ worry about the kids, y’know? They’re my siblings, my shithead lil’ brothers and sisters. I gotta take care of ‘em.** ”

      B nodded slowly, understanding exactly what Plumeria meant. Had Team Magma been like Skull, even the littlest bit, she might have not been so inclined to leave when she did. Still, that was in the past, over and done with, and she only had gone forward from there.

      “ **Now that that’s outta th’ way,** ” Guzma said, straightening up, though the ball of his palm still rubbed his side. “ **Been told there’s some guys lurkin’ outside the town. Dunno who they are or what they want, but we’re gonna haveta take care of it before they mess with us. Could be cops, could be Kahunas, who the hell knows--** ” he paused, looking utterly disgusted. “ **But they’ll be sorry they showed their sorry faces here.** ”

B had slunk to stand beside Plumeria, hands dug deep into the pockets of her over-sized sweatpants after pulling the hood of the jacket tightly around her. The mansion was dark and cold, enough so that she shivered, and B couldn’t help but to wonder vaguely as to whether or not they had proper heating for when the weather got colder. Judging by the state of the place, she would guess _no_.

      Beside her, Plumeria nodded, as though accepting her, albeit hesitantly. B returned the gesture, and she heard a deep chuckle from before them as a cocky grin, once again, lifted Guzma’s features.

      “ **Great,** ” he growled happily, swaggering toward them, shoving his way between B and Plumeria, draping his arms around their shoulders again. B rolled her eyes, and though her lips twitched in a slight grin, she she feigned aloofness, turning back toward him with a _bored_  expression, brow raising as she met his gaze. Noting her expression, he shook his head, grin widening, and tugged on her hood-- _his_  hood--pulling it down with a chuckle, her burgundy hair standing on end.

      “ **Right,** ” he said, leaning heavily against them both. “ **Let’s show those bastards who they’re dealin’ with.** ”


	8. 8

      “ **Remind me t’ _never_ get on yer bad side.** ”

      B chuckled, stretching her arms over her head, just as pleased with herself as Guzma seemed to be. The strange fellows who lurked outside of Po Town were neither Skull nor Kahunas, or even captains, but rather a group of shitheads who thought it would be in their best interests to try and take down Skull by themselves. Plumeria had seen them before; she and a couple of the grunts had run into them when they snuck into the city to steal what food they could for the Team, and while they did put up a good fight, she’s gone and stomped them into the dirt. Of course, that meant they’d come around for round two, but what they hadn’t counted on was a seasoned trainer with terrifying monsters that obeyed her every command.

      “ **No idea _what_ you’re talking about,**” she mused, allowing her arms to fall to her sides, shrugging out of the oversized jacket that had previously been keeping her warm--until they had the genius idea to go out in the rain again. She couldn’t blame them, of course; they had to protect their own, didn’t they? If someone threatened them, it was up to the boss and his admin to take care of it, and B could relate to wanting to protect those close to her. She’d seen it in Magma, and though not quite as intimate as Skull, the admins had been kind enough to be getting their grunts out of trouble. Though maybe kind wasn’t the right word; on more than one occasion, B had seen a grunt or two get their ass handed to them after Courtney or Tabitha had bailed them out, and while she hadn’t been anyone special, herself, her nurturing aura had younger grunts crying on her shoulder in the dead of night, feeling alone and afraid. And it was this reason the she was so compelled to stand by the ruffians in Alola, especially as half the world didn’t know shit about what happens behind closed doors.

      Taking off Guzma’s jacket, she waited until he looked at her again before tossing it in his face, exactly as he had done earlier. There was no use in keeping warm at this point; already, her clothes were soaked to the core, and hair once again plastered to her face. Part of her wondered why she even bothered with it in the first place--after all, she’d be headed out the exact same way she came in, inevitably getting caught in the rain again. Maybe she’d wait a while before trying to get back to Melemele…

      “ **How the hell did ya manage t’ get a pokemon like _that_?** ”

      It was Plumeria who spoke from the other side of Guzma, and her eyes were fixed on the enormous dragon which hovered at B’s shoulder, doing what it could to shelter her from the rain. Hydreigon weren’t exactly popular as a trainer’s companion, and for a good reason. They were vicious, bloodthirsty creatures, and to meet one in the wild would spell certain doom for anyone who managed to cross its path. The fact that Hades had been discovered, abandoned as a deino, by B’s father meant that she was able to train him from a young age.

      “ **I’ve had him since he was a baby,** ” she replied nonchalantly, as though commenting on the weather. Plumeria’s eyes flickered to B, her lips pouting slightly as she spoke. “ **Dad found him, before we left Unova. We think he might have been abandoned because of his colors; hydreigon aren’t usually green, like this. Still, if he hadn’t brought him home, I doubt I’d have him.** ”

      “ **Dangerous, ain’t they?** ” Guzma remarked, his gaze fixed on B, whose hand ran along the length of Hades’ snout, drawing a purr-like growl from the creature’s throat. He swaggered forward, eyeing the beast with a curious expression, coming to a stop next to B as she stroked her companion lovingly. He seemed interested in the creature, and from behind him, Plumeria made a choked grunt in the back of her throat as her piercing gaze fixed on the violet eyes of the dragon, the color in her face draining. It was obvious that there was a certain fear for hydreigon, and with a good reason. Run into one in the wild, and it would surely destroy you. Even the best trained could get away from their trainer, and there was a handful of times that B had nearly lost control of Hades, because of his destructive tendencies.

      “ **The only hydreigon I’ve seen belonged to the big guys** ,” Guzma continued, as Hades closed his eyes lazily. “ **Y’know, the top dogs of the league and shit. They ain’t messin’ around when trainin’ these things.** ”

      Hades whipped his head around to face Guzma, eye-to-eye, lip curling as he growled at the Skull Boss. No doubt, he’d caused him to jump; hydreigon were just as unpredictable as an untrained pokemon in the wrong hands, and Hades wasn’t any different. Regardless, B threw her arms around his great neck, attempting to soothe the creature, forcing a strangled yelp from Guzma as she seemed to put herself in danger’s way. She paid it no mind, however; knowing her own pokemon better than anyone could have, she knew that he hadn’t liked being referred to as a thing, and while he might have been well trained under B since his youth, that did not mean he wouldn’t be aggressive toward anyone.

      “ **Hey now, we’re trying to make friends here, you butt. Growling isn’t going to get you anywhere.** ”

      Hades cast his angered gaze upon the woman, tilting his head as he listened to her voice. The rage was still in his eyes as he side-glanced at the others, but the growl curling his lips slowly subsided, and he turned his face away from Guzma and Plumeria fully, huffing as he rested his great head on B’s shoulder. Ignore them as he might, Hades still eyed him from behind B, snout wrinkling defensively.

      Guzma’s face had gone pale, though his features remained hardened when stared down by Hades. He’s dealt with wily pokemon before, but never with this sort of...nature. His own pokemon weren’t nearly as vicious as a dragon, and as far as he knew, the grunts could hardly handle a raticate half the time, let alone a hydreigon. Even Plumeria’s salazzle--who’d set his jacket ablaze because he’d made a funny face at her--was easy enough to deal with. Hydreigon, though, was a completely different case.

      Alarmed, Plumeria bolted forward, wrapping her hand around his upper arm, gripping tightly enough that her nails dug into his skin. It was clear from her expression that her distrust in B and her pokemon was not about to falter anytime soon, but at the moment she was more concerned as to whether or not Guzma would be alright.

      After a few moments, his posture seemed to relax, expression returning to his typical, smug smirk as he glanced at Plumeria. He nodded, assuring her that he was fine as he threw his jacket over his shoulder, arms folded across his chest. From the dragon’s face, his eyes flickered to B’s, and a brow raised when she turned her attention to him, biting back an amused smirk.

      “ **Ya’ve got a handle on him, don’t ya?** ”

      It was her turn to raise a brow. “ **Better than anyone I know,** ” she replied cooly, her hands resting on her hips. “ **You saw how we did; that should be enough for you.** ”

      He chuckled, accepting her reply; true, she’d definitely proven her worth in a battle, though the shitheads who threatened his team could have hardly been considered an opponent. She shook her head, lips curved, before turning her back on the Skull leaders, nuzzling her nose against the tip of Hades’ snout. The creature purred happily, even as she brought out his pokeball, and B apologized quietly as she returned him within. Better to keep him safely inside than to have someone inadvertently offend him, causing destruction out of anger.

      “ **He doesn’t like being called a _thing_ , you know,**” B continued, nodding toward them. It still took a moment for Plumeria to find her composure after Hades had been returned, but merely seconds passed before she was grimacing, arms crossed in irritation. Her eyes flashed to B’s, who met her gaze warily,  knowing that whatever had just happened hadn’t helped her case to earn Plumeria’s trust.

      “ **Let’s just get in,** ” she growled, shoving past Guzma to get to the door. He staggered slightly, shaking his head as a deep chuckle escaped his lips, and he glanced at B with a nonchalant shrug, beckoning at her to follow. “ **We’ll be puddles before long, ya idiots.** ”

      With a mighty shove, she had pushed the door in, leading the way back into their hideout. There was significantly less chaos than there’d been before, B noticed, and now grunts seemed to be lounging around, hanging around as though the fight from earlier had not happened. Breena, she noticed, was curled up on the lap of the girl they helped earlier, her tail tucked around her nose, and her eyes shut as she snoozed on, happily. B made a note to speak with her later; the sylveon had taken a liking to her, despite being a complete stranger, and B was eager to know who it was that had gained the friendship of her pokemon.

      On the other side of the room, sitting on a broken down couch, was Rolan and Lena, still attending to the broken nose he’d acquired earlier. Of course, from what she could tell, Lena was only cleaning up the mess, her nose wrinkled as she seemed to be berating him for getting involved. As she wiped off what was left of the blood, touching his nose gingerly, Rolan shrugged sheepishly, turning his gaze to the door as it swung inward, the wind’s gusting momentarily heard throughout the foyer. His face lit up, and soon thereafter, Lena’s eyes followed his, raising a brow at B’s arrival. She did not seem neither pleased, nor angry, but like Plumeria, she had her reservations, and rightly so.

      Plumeria had disappeared into a back room, wringing out her ponytails as she departed. She made it clear that she did not want to be bothered, and B was happy to let her go do what she needed. There’d be plenty of time to figure each other out, and she certainly did not want to give the woman another reason to be skeptical of her.

      “ **It’s calmed down,** ” B remarked, reaching for the bottom of the white tank she wore. It was completely soaked through, even when she was wearing Guzma’s jacket. “ **We were barely gone ten minutes…** ”

      He took off the glasses that rested atop his head, shaking out his hair and effectively splattering water across B’s face. Her nose wrinkled, hands twisting her shirt to wring it out, unimpressed expression plastered across her features. Her eyeliner finally began to run, stinging her eyes on the way down her cheeks, and after Guzma had pushed his hair back out of his eyes, keeping it in place with his glasses, she took the opportunity to pay him back by shaking herself out.

      “ **Next time you decide that you need to go out and kick someone’s ass, let’s do it before I change out of wet clothes,** ” she remarked, tousling her hair. “ **Someone’s going to get sick, doing this all the time.** ”

      She felt her shoulders slouch suddenly as a heavy arm was draped along them, and Guzma’s weight was shifted onto her. Luckily, she’d caught herself before she realized what was going on, and her eyes rolled as she turned her head slightly, watching him from the corner of her eye.

      “ **Not one of my better ideas,** ” he admitted, though the smirk that still rested on his face told her that he was not at all sorry to get her wet again. “ **But we got it handled, didn’t we? I’ve never seen someone shit themselves like they did today.** ”

      “ **What can I say,” B replied smugly. “I’m that good.** ”

      He shook his head slightly, eyeing her with interest, and B merely stared right back, her arms folding over her chest, as though daring him to make the next move. There was a silence between them that the grunts ignored; it was as though they were one-upping each other, creating a sort of rivalry between them, so B thought. Unbothered by his proximity, she still shoved her hip against his, grabbing him by the wrist as she eased out from under his arm, taking a step back, though refusing to break eye contact. Her grip was tight, and whatever sort of odd friendship that was blossoming was sure to ease the tension between Skull and the newcomer, and while he seemed to straighten himself up to his full height, B rolled her eyes, unbothered.

      “ **Ya might be, by I ain’t the one ya’ve gotta prove yerself to.** ”

      There was a moment of silence between the two as they studied one another, garnering what they could from one another without speaking a word. There was little B knew about Guzma than what she’d heard, and even less that he knew about her, as she’d not made a point to stand out among the masses. She was happy to keep her head down, especially now as she’d befriended Skull, of all people, but her low profile would likely be beneficial to them all.

      Their eyes had yet to break contact--odd, considering B was pretty good at making others uncomfortable under her steely gaze--and she could feel herself growing slightly flustered when he did not back down. It wasn’t enough to provoke a response from her, other than frustration, but it was enough to cause his grin to widen by the second. He made to say something more, but before he could string two words together, Rolan had come bounding from across the room, Lena in his wake. She was mildly annoyed, wrappings still in her hand as he’d gotten away before she’d finished, and she came to a halt not far from Guzma and B, hands resting on her hips. Rolan had forced himself into the tight space between B and Guzma; she’d not even realized how close they had gotten in their friendly intimidation until then, and she was thankful that the grunt--who was a lot taller than B realized--hid her sheepish expression from view.

      “ **So she’s with us, then!** ” he exclaimed, looking from Guzma to B and back. She had managed to compose herself by then, and glancing around Rolan, she met Guzma’s gaze with a quirk of her brows, complete with a wide, cocky grin. Though his smirk had since fallen, replaced with annoyance at Rolan’s interruption, he crossed his arms, his eyes rolling, yet B could have sworn amusement flickered across his features, regardless.

      Not a second later, Rolan was suddenly in a friendly headlock as Guzma jumped up, wrapping his arm around Rolan’s shoulder, forcing him down as dug his knuckles into his bright, blue hair. The grunt yelped as his face was suddenly smashed against the Boss’ sopping chest, and though he pushed against him, Guzma proved stronger as Rolan was forced to relent.

      Lena, who had come to stand beside B, let out a snort, and even B hid her laughter behind her hand as they wrestled like siblings. It clearly embarrassed Rolan; he might have been taller than the lot of them, but his laid back demeanor and the fact that his nose had just recently been broken, had him playing it easy.

      “ **Is that the best ya can do, kid?** ” Guzma grinned, shaking him up a bit. Rolan’s face was enveloped in a bright red blush, embarrassed that he was taken so easily, and by surprise, in front of B and Lena. “ **I was hopin’ fer more of a fight, after getting yerself knocked about with the other two.** ”

      “ **I ain’t a fighter, Boss!** ” he exclaimed from under Guzma’s arm, wrapping his hands around his forearm and yanking. “ **Jus’ lemme go!** ”

      At his request, Guzma let him go, causing him to stumble back into Lena and B, who’d easily caught him before he fell. Rather flustered, he avoided the gazes of both women, expression flickering into one of mild anger as he rubbed the back of his neck, lip curled. Lena snorted, rolling her eyes as she straightened out his shirt, and B’s hand clapped his shoulder, stifling laughter, if only for his sake.

      “ **Right,** ” interrupted B, glancing from Rolan, to Lena, and back to Guzma. “ **I’ve got to get going; I do have a home I need to take care of, after all.** ”

      “ **Well, shit,** ” Guzma groaned in mock disappointment. “ **The hell are these two gonna do with you gone, eh?** ”

      “ **They’re big kids. They can manage,** ” she quipped, ruffling her hair as it seemed to dry, stuck to her face. “ **Besides, it’s not as though they can’t come with. I’ve got a couch, remember.** ”

      “ **Yeah, a couch with _my_ name on it.**”

      B made a face, nose wrinkled, before shaking her head in amusement. “ **The couch is for whoever gets there first, and fights off my pokemon for dominance. That’s just how it is.** ” She shrugged, searching herself for something, before realizing her clothes were still in a heap upstairs, in Guzma’s ‘office’. She wasn’t bothered, though; she’d get it sometime later. It wasn’t as though she’d never be coming back.

      “ **Where do ya live then, B?** ” Rolan asked as Lena had finished wiping off his nose the moment she’d been able to. “ **And how are ya gettin’ there without bein’ seen with any of us?** ”

      “ **Either of you have a pen?** ” she responded, and both the grunts and their boss began searching themselves for one, all the while, B looked to the side, finding one sitting on a side table, seemingly abandoned. She snatched it up, clicking the end as she approached Guzma again, grabbing his hand and flipping it so that the back of it faced her. Quickly, she scribbled her address on his skin, followed by a phone number, her tongue poked out of her mouth as she did so.

      “ **There, where I live, and a number to call me before you show up out of the blue. I do have people who come over now and then; don’t think it’ll be quite a good idea for a couple of grunts bursting through my front door, unannounced.** ”

      “ **Sounds like a _great_ idea, t’ me,**” Guzma chuckled, lifting his hand to read her note.

      B shook her head, running her hand over her brow. “ **Sure, whatever you say, Boss. If you absolutely have to come unannounced, go to the back and hang with the pokemon until you know the coast is clear, alright?** ”

      Rolan nodded, Lena making a soft grunt as she turned her gaze to B, and Guzma merely crossed his arms, shifting his weight from one foot to another, in an act of intimidation that B saw right through. Still, she couldn’t help but to grin at the trio as she slowly approached the door again, aiming to get back home.

      “ **What about your clothes?** ” Guzma asked, nodding toward the stairs. “ **Don’t ya want ‘em?** ”

      “ **Keep them, I’ll be back later,** ” she replied nonchalantly. “ **I’ll need something to change into when I inevitably get soaked again, you know.** ”

      He nodded, his smirk growing when he raised a brow, accepting her answer. “ **Yer still wearin’ Skull shit, though. Someone might see ya**.”

      “ **Try all you want to keep me here, Guzma, it’s not going to work~** ” B chuckled, rolling her eyes. She slowly reached for her pocket, where Hades’ pokeball rested, withdrawing it and tossing it lightly in her hand. “ **Hades’ is pretty handy, you know. He’ll get me home without being seen.** ” She nodded toward him before flicking her gaze between Rolan and Lena, who’d both paled at the mention of Hades. Their last experience had them wary of B, herself, because of her pokemon’s ferocious demeanor, and even Guzma’s nose wrinkled at the thought of being face-to-face with the creature again.

      Backing away, she nodded at the three of them, bowing deeply and dramatically, smirk resting on her lips. “ **Catch you guys around~** ”


	9. 9

      There was little that B enjoyed more than a nap in the middle of the day, laying spread-eagle on her couch with her arcanine, Apollo, curled in a ball at her feet. It might have been a beautiful day, the sun might have been shining upon all Alola, but that didn’t stop her from drawing all the shades in her home, pants removed, and drooling unattractively as she snored on. Just as well; for the last week, she’d had an influx of visitors--all from Po Town--at her door, and usually at the most inopportune times. She couldn’t count how often she’d walk out of her bedroom in a towel to a mess of grunts on her sitting room floor, playing with Breena, or mornings she would wake up to someone making breakfast in her kitchen. Even Guzma had strolled in on more than one occasion to check out what he was working with, after B’s primarina, Artemis, had finished chasing him, angrily, around the house. She supposed it was her fault, really; B had given them her address for this reason, and they were sure taking advantage of it. At least they cleaned up after themselves.

      But why would today be any different?

      She rolled onto her side, Apollo whining like a giant puppy as his trainer chose a more comfortable position, and B snored on, oblivious to the commotion outside. It wasn’t until her door swung inward that she actually awakened, and even then, as two grunts pushed their way indoors, startling Breena in her bed near the window, B barely cracked open her eyes to figure out what was going on. When the door slammed, her nose wrinkled in irritation, and with a long, deep groan, she pulled herself into a sitting position, arms stretching high above her head before ruffling her already messy hair, yawning loudly.

      “ **The hell did ya think ya were doin’?!** ” came a woman’s voice,angry and jarring as the bolts on the door were locked quickly. “ **Did ya see how many people were there? We stick out like sore thumbs, ya dumbass!** ”

      Apollo lifted his giant, shaggy head sleepily, maw opening in a yawn that exposed all of his razor sharp teeth, before sliding his front paws from the couch, stretching his back as his back legs still rested on the cushion. Even after he stretched, he flopped onto the ground, bum still resting on the seat, a ridiculous display to behold.

      “ **My hair’s fadin’, Lena!** ” Rolan whined, running his hand through his hair sheepishly. “ **I didn’t have any money!** ”

      Lena growled, dragging her hands down her face before striding to the window, peeking out between the curtains to make sure they hadn’t been followed. “ **Doesn’t look like they found us,** ” she grumbled, eyes narrowing. “ **Yer damn lucky that I don’t beat yer ass right now!** ”

      “ **No ass beatings, _please_ ,**” B groaned from the couch, swinging her legs over the edge. Apollo’s eyes followed the grunts innocently, his tail shaking as he wagged it lazily. “ **I just got everything cleaned out, I don’t need you messing my shit up again.** ”

      She rose from her seat, half of her face red and marked with the pattern of the couch as she slouched, sleepily, to the kitchen. Rolan and Lena watched her, glancing at each other for a moment before taking off after her. They didn’t make it far; the moment he saw them move, Apollo bounded from the couch, barking happily and wagging his tail like a giant puppy.

      Lena screeched, scrambling onto Rolan, who dropped the package in his hand to grab her tightly. B had no shortage of big, potentially terrifying pokemon, and the moment Apollo reached them, he’d jumped onto his back legs, paws resting on Rolan’s shoulders as he dragged his tongue across the boy’s face. Lena was smushed between Rolan and Apollo, her face full of fur as she coughed and sputtered, trying to push the enormous dog off of her. B was vaguely aware of what was going on as she prepared coffee; sure, she might be up for the entire night, but she’d slept most of the day away, already. Go big or go home.

      “ ** _Apollooooo,”_** she grumbled, eyes squinted at the door as she scratched her bum. “ **Leave ‘em alone, you’re going to scare the shit out of them.** ”

      After one final lick, clear across Rolan’s face, Apollo dropped to all four paws, trotting back to the couch with his tail wagging happily. He took no time at all to jump upon it and sprawl out over the entirety of the cushions, rolling on his back to expose his belly for hopeful scratches. The grunts looked from Apollo, to the pantless B as she made coffee in her kitchen, and Rolan’s face turned a bright shade of red as he averted his gaze to anywhere but B.

      “ **What trouble did you get into now?** ” she asked dully, scooping coffee grounds into a filter. “ **I mean, not that I don’t expect trouble from you shitheads, but what the hell are you so afraid of that you burst into my house to get away? Doesn’t seem like you.** ”

      A wry grin lifted her lips as her eyes flashed towards Rolan and Lena, her gaze fixing on the latter as the former was so pointedly avoiding her. Lena huffed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest, nose wrinkled as she elbowed Rolan roughly in the ribs.

      “ **We ain’t scared of nothin’!** ” Lena growled, eyes flashing. “ **This idiot thought it’d be a good idea to steal shit in the middle of a crowded market. Even I have the sense not to do that!** ”

      Sticking the coffee pot into the maker, B huffed, rolling her eyes in amusement. A loud, lengthy whine sounded from Apollo as he stretched his legs, taking up even more room on the couch, and after flipping a switch to start the coffee, she leaned on the counter, elbows on the surface and face in her hands as she watched them both skeptically.

      “ **Let me guess,** ” she mused, eyes flickering to the ground, at Rolan’s feet. “ **Hair dye?** ”

      Finally meeting her eyes, Rolan nodded, kneeling to the floor to pick up the dropped package. “ **Yeah…** ” he murmured, rather sheepishly, his free hand coming to rest on the back of his neck. “ **We were out, an’ I thought…** ”

      B waved a hand, walking around the kitchen counter, shaking her head. “ **And you thought you’d steal the hair dye, rather than come to good ol’ B to borrow some cash. Kids.** ”

      Rolan’s features erupted into a dark blush once again at the sight of B’s lack of pants, and she acted as though she hadn’t even noticed while she strode toward him, holding out her hand for the box. Lena had since knelt as Breena rose from her bed, circling the girl’s legs happily, chirping softly as her feelers touched her knees. She emanated a soothing aura that soon had Lena’s posture relaxing, and B could feel it steadily overtaking her as well. Still, as Rolan handed her the box, and she took a look at the back of it, the awkward demeanor that he possessed finally brought his thoughts to the front.

      “ **Ya ain’t wearing pants.** ”

      “ **Yep.** ”

      “ **Eh--gonna put some on?** ”

      “ **Nope. Now go sit down, I’m going to get this ready for you.** ”

      Without another word, B turned on her heel, disappearing into the bathroom, leaving Rolan and Lena alone in her sitting room. They looked at one another, somewhat confused, but after a moment, Lena dragged her friend to the nearest stool, which sat at the counter, creating a makeshift dining area.

      “ **For god’s sake, Rolan, keep it in yer pants, already,** ” Lena hissed, though there was slight amusement to her voice. His eyes turned on her, horrified as what she said, and he shook his head furiously, features turning a darker shade of red than before.

      “ **Fuck, Lena!** ” he stammered, hiding his face in his hands. “ **Don’t say that shit! What if she hears ya?** ”

      “ **Spoilers: I _can_ hear you,**” came B’s voice from the bathroom.

      Their eyes flashed to the door--Lena stifling a laugh, and Rolan doing a sort of soundless scream--and seconds later, a creature poked it’s head from the doorway, bright, blue eyes fixing on the strangers in their trainer’s home. Its small, pink nose sniffed the air, and as it flopped itself into the kitchen area, using its front flippers to propel it along, a mermaid-like pokemon made itself known to the Skull Grunts.

      “ **Do ya ever put any of yer pokemon in pokeballs?** ” Lena called, her eyes fixing on the primarina before them, which had since hobbled into the kitchen, propping itself on the counter to get a better look at them. Rolan glanced at his companion in alarm; the way the creature looked at him was less than friendly, and the way its eyes narrowed almost had him wanting to face off, alone, against Hades, and the hydreigon was terrifying.

      “ **Oi, why’s she lookin’ at me like that?** ” he called, and moments later, B appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame as she shook the dye bottle.

      “ **To answer both your questions: one, I hardly ever have them in their balls at home, and two, she’s not a big fan of strangers, and your blush is a little telling, kid.** ”

      Lena snorted, to which Rolan looked at her angrily. However, both were brought back into line when the primarina growled, lip curling to expose a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

      “ **Now, now, Artemis,** ” B drawled, slouching her way to the pokemon. Almost instantly, Artemis had changed into a loving, snuggly creature, nuzzling her nose beneath B’s chin happily. “ **These guys are friends; you don’t have to worry about them.** ”

      Artemis tilted her head in understanding, though it did not stop her from shooting Rolan and Lena one last, suspicious glance before dragging herself away to join Apollo on the couch. With a small grunt, she heaved herself up, plopping on top of the arcanine happily, and curled into a ball on his tummy.

      Checking the dye to see that it was properly mixed, B disappeared for a brief moment, before returning with a towel not seconds later, and threw it at Rolan’s face. “ **Put that on your shoulders so I don’t get this shit on your clothes,** ” she said, popping the cap off the bottle. “ **Or take off your shirt. That way you won’t get dye on it when you get in the shower.** ”

      Lena snickered, to which Rolan responded with a kick to her shins, causing her to hiss in pain before shooting daggers from her eyes. B watched them both, dully, raising a brow as a sigh fell from her lips, and she leaned heavily against the counter, waiting for them to stop with their crap.

      “ **Any day now,** ” she chuckled when Lena slid from her stool, trying to wrench Rolan’s shirt up over his head. He fought her off, grunting as he caught her by the wrists, lifting her hands away from him.

      “ **Cut that out!** ” he growled, and before she knew it, B was in between both of them, bottle on the counter, holding them both at arm’s length. Rolling her eyes, she shot them both a warning glance, and immediately, they stopped their bickering, avoiding one another’s gaze as they turned away.

      “ **The way you two argue, it’s like you’re an old, married couple.** ”

      Rolan shook his head, and Lena rolled her eyes, glancing at B. “Sorry, he’s not really my type,” she hissed, but took her seat back on the stool next to him.

      B eyed her, but thought nothing of it as the coffee maker suddenly went off, startling her after being in the midst of the argument. She took a moment to skirt around the counter again, grabbing a few mugs from the drying rack and filling one for herself, all the while she grabbed a package of cookies from the cupboard. She slid it toward Rolan and Lena, who eyed it skeptically before helping themselves, and after a moment, B turned to them, raising the pot in her hand.

      “ **You want some?** ” she asked, taking a drink from hers, which was completely black, save for a bit of sugar. The sight of it had the grunts cringing, noses wrinkled in disgust, which had B shaking her head, chuckling in amusement. “ **I won’t make it black, don’t worry.** ”

      “ **Nah, coffee makes me sick,** ” Rolan replied, still watching B in horror. “ **I’ll pass.** ”

      Lena, on the other hand, shrugged and nodded, though she slid from her seat to join B in the kitchen, raiding her fridge almost immediately. “ **I’m not having the shit yer drinkin’, though.** ”

      Shrugging with a laugh, B returned to Rolan’s side as Lena lost herself in the fridge, and picked up the bottle to begin work on his hair. He’d decided to keep his shirt on--not that B cared either way--and she stood on her toes to get a better look at the top of his head, though her eyes barely poked over it. With a grunt, she bent, fiddling with a latch on the bottom of the stool, causing the seat to lower closer to the ground, giving B the perfect view.

      “ **Hell, you’re tall,** ” she remarked, snapping gloves onto her hands before making sure the towel was in place over his shoulders.

      “ **I’ve been told,** ” he replied dully, glancing over his shoulder. He met B’s gaze, though he shifted it quickly away, and she touched her index finger to his jaw, pushing to make him face forward.

      “ **Right then,** ” she muttered, picking up the bottle as she started brushing his hair with her fingers. “ **Let’s get this over with, kid. Because I’m sending you back to wherever you got this with money to pay for it, got it?** ”

      He shook his head, but B stopped him almost immediately, touching the tip of the bottle to the top of his head. Lena, having shoved several biscuits that she found in her mouth, lounged against the counter on the opposite side of the kitchen, watching them closely. Her hands were delicate with the task, knowing how messy this sort of thing could be, and she slowly worked the dye into the faded hair, raising her brow as she glanced at Lena.

      “ **Making yourself right at home then, eh?** ” she remarked, drawing away the bottle while she rubbed the color in. “ **You’ve found my secret stash already.** ”

      “ **What’s it to ya?** ” she growled with a huff, shoving more biscuits into her mouth.

      B merely shrugged. “ **Nothing, really. I figured you guys would be hungry, that’s why I stocked up.** ” She paused, taking a moment to rub her nose with the back of her arm. “ **You can’t get those anywhere other than Johto. That’s why I hid them...or so I thought I did.** ”

      Lena paused, looking at the biscuits, before huffing as she set them aside. “ **Fine, I won’t eat those. Ya got anythin’ else though?** ”

      “ **In the cupboards above your head,** ” she said, nodding toward her. Rolan had been silent the entire time, whether lost in thought or just happily nodding off, B couldn’t tell, but when she nudged him with her hip, he jumped, causing a splatter of blue color to drip down his face, he blinked several times, as though coming out of a daze.

      “ ** _Whu--_** ”

      “ **You want something to eat?** ” B offered, using the towel on his shoulder to wipe off the dye before it stained. “ **I’ve got plenty…** ”

      “ **Nah, I’m okay,** ” he replied, shaking his head slightly. “ **Lena can have mine.** ”

      “ **Yeah,** ” Lena piped up from the counter, having drawn towards them, leaning heavily against it. “ **This peasant shit ain’t good enough for the rich kid.** ”

      B blinked. “ **...what?** ”

      “ **‘Course you don’t know,** ” she continued with a shrug. “ **Rolan here’s a rich kid. Didn’t get what he wanted so he ran away.** ”

      “ **It’s not like that, okay?** ” he grumbled, and B tilted her head, eyeing him curiously. “ **I wasn’t happy, sure, but it ain’t because they didn’t get me what I wanted--that was the problem.** ”

      He huffed, turning his head sharply, causing B to drip some more dye onto his skin, this time on and over his ear. With a sigh, she raised the towel to his head again, roughly wiping it off to get the point across. Still, as she lifted the floppy, bright-blue mess that was his dye-soaked hair, she noticed his unhappy slouch when the topic was brought up. She didn’t press further, and setting the now-empty bottle aside, she twisted his hair up and onto a knot on the top of his head, making sure the shaved sides were evenly coated as well.

      “ **You don’t have to talk about it, bud,** ” B remarked, lifting the towel and dropping it on his head. “ **It’s not my business.** ”

      “ **Yeah, well I don’t want Lena puttin’ thoughts in yer head about _me_ ,**” Rolan growled, glaring at his friend. She merely shrugged, as though not having done anything wrong, and shoved another biscuit into her mouth as Rolan rose to his feet.

      Walking back into the kitchen, B had started a timer for Rolan’s hair, tossing away the empty bottle and soiled gloves. After washing her hands quickly, she turned to face them both, leaning heavily against the counter as she reached for her Johto snacks, popping one of the biscuits into her mouth thoughtfully.

      “ **You’ve done a pretty good job of it yourself, Rolan,** ” B chuckled after finishing the biscuit. “ **You _did_ try to steal my pokemon right off the bat, remember?**”

      “ **Yeah, well that has nothin’ t’ do with him being a rich boy, B,** ” Lena replied snarkily, hoisting herself onto the counter, feet dangling over the edge. “ **Go on, Rolan, tell her!** ”

      He wrinkled his nose as he wrapped his hair in the towel tightly, lips pouted into a frown. “ **Ya know the stereotypical rich kid runs away to pursue his dream bullshit, right? Didn’t think _I’d_ be the one t’ do it, but here I am.**”

      “ **So...you ran away from home to pursue your dream of being a _thug_?** ” B asked, though her lips curved into a grin at his reaction. “ **One hell of a dream, if you ask me.** ”

      Lena snickered, and B, who’d crossed her arms, raised a fist toward the other grunt, who happily bumped her knuckles against them, before both women fixed on Rolan again.

      He blushed, rolling his eyes. “ **Real funny,** ” he growled. “ **Nah, I wanted t’ play music, open a restaurant. Mom and dad wanted me to go after somethin’ that would make me money. Like a doctor or some shit.** ” He sighed, shaking his head, hand resting atop it to keep the towel from moving. “ **I ain’t that smart, B. I’m good with people an’ music, but not cuttin’ ‘em open, y’know?** ”

      B could imagine so, but she’d never been in his position. Still, she couldn’t understand why he’d decided to go to Skull rather than try and make a life of his own, but then again, he might have been too young at that point to even consider it. Now, however, he probably could, granted he hadn’t already ruined his reputation.

      “ **So you wanted to--** ”

      “ **Be a musician, open a restaurant. Somethin’ like that. I like t’ cook an’ I like t’ play music. Why not do that?** ”

      B glanced at Lena, who merely shrugged at his words. Clearly, she’d heard this story before, and there wasn’t much she was going to add to it. Still, B’s lips curved into a grin when her gaze flashed back to Rolan, and he couldn’t help but to gulp at what she might say.

      “ **Don’t tell me you’re one of those jerks with a guitar, Rolan,** ” B laughed, shooting him a mischievous glance. “Y **ou know, the guy that plays the song that everyone’s heard but doesn’t think they have?** ”

      He rolled his eyes, lip curling. “ **Yer so funny, B,** ” he mumbled, poking at his head through the towel. His scalp was quickly becoming itchy as the color continued to seep into his hair, and his eyes were watering at the odor that wafted from the dye.

      “ **I know, I’m hilarious,** ” she grinned, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “ **But really, why Skull?** ”

      “ **It was a family,** ” he said simply, shrugging. “ **An’ I was lookin’ fer one. Lena actually picked me up, though. I was outside Po town an’ there she was. Mom an’ dad were no help, pressurin’ me t’ live up t’ an impossible standard, and Skull was kickin’ ass an’ stickin’ t’gether.** ”

      She nodded, taking another drink of her coffee, her eyes fixed on him thoughtfully. “ **What about you, Lena? What’s your story?** ”

      From beside her, Lena grimaced, a sound of derision falling from her lips. “ **None of yer damn business,** ” she growled quickly, eyes narrowing. “ **It ain’t important and ya don’t get t’ know!** ”

      “ ** _Fiiiine,_** ” B sighed. “ **Forget I asked.** ” She wasn’t too keen on starting a fight with her, and she supposed that Lena would say something in time, but the way she froze up, become highly defensive as she scooted away from B had her believing there was more to it that she was letting on. Still, B was never one to push, and was fine to let Lena be.

      “ **Well, I assume you two are staying for dinner then,** ” B continued when the other two did not speak again. “ **Make yourselves at home, I suppose...just don’t forget to pay that store back for that stolen dye.** ”


	10. 10

      Lord help her, this was going to get expensive.  


      _A week_. Just a week and her entire stores of food–minus her secret stash of Johto treats–had been cleaned out of her pantries. Skull took no time in making themselves at home, which also meant helping themselves to whatever food B had laying around. She didn’t mind, however; the kids looked hungry enough as it was, and she had enough to support herself and what she needed to bring to the table when needed. However, with the amount she bought, and how often she’d be visiting the market to stock up, well, someone was bound to notice something.

      Luckily for her, this was only her first trip, of likely many, and there wouldn’t be much to be suspicious of when it came down to it. For now, her ties with Skull were well hidden; it was already established that she was a strong trainer, and not one to be trifled with, but overall, she was pretty easy going, and got along well with most people she ran into. Still, she wasn’t about to get into trouble with the police force in Alola, and she really wasn’t doing anything to prove that she was an ‘unofficial’ member of the organization. Really, she was there for the kids, to feed them and take care of them when Guzma and Plumeria couldn’t.

      A soft growl echoed from behind her as she felt a cold, wet nose nudge her hand cautiously. Brienne had accompanied B to the market, and the houndoom was rather on edge, unfamiliar as she was with the region. Her maw hung open, tongue hanging out the side as she panted in the Alolan heat, and B wondered if it had been wise to bring a completely black pokemon out, during the hottest time of day.

      “ **What do you think, Bri? Should we grab enough for us and then come back later?** ” B glanced toward Brienne at her side, the dog’s crimson eyes flashing about the market, eyeing each of the people who cast an uneasy glance toward her. Clearly, B didn’t care that her pokemon were frightening to the general public, and there wasn’t anything that could get her to put them in their pokeballs when danger wasn’t present.

      Brienne whined, the tip of her tail wagging slightly at her trainer’s question, and again, she touched her nose to B’s palm, as though begging for her to take her home. She felt for the creature; when living in other regions–regions that were not nearly as warm as this one–B and her pokemon typically made a home in the colder areas of the region. So when there wasn’t a cold area to be found, aside from the mountain which they were building the new pokemon league, there were little options to be had. And though she’d like to keep Brienne in shadier areas, going into Hau’oli City made it impossible to keep cool, unless going into a building, themselves.

      Lining the walk were countless vendors with all sorts of wares–fruit, vegetables, and even baked chips, stored neatly into brightly colored bags, enticing to the eye. It didn’t help that B was starving; she’d gone to make breakfast that morning, only to discover that her cupboards were empty. But now, as she stopped by a fruit stand, the vendor an old, kindly-looking woman, her growling stomach betrayed her.

      “ **You must be hungry, sweet!** ” came her old, withered voice, peering at B from behind a pair of thick spectacles. She was short, the top of her head not even reaching B’s shoulder, and rather frail, as she shuffled from behind her cart, a basket of fresh, tasty-looking fruit in her hands. Brienne peered at the woman from behind B, tilting her head curiously as the woman offered her trainer the basket.

      “ **Go on,** ” she said with a kind, warm smile. “ **Take what you like!** ”

      B, an embarrassed blush on her face, cleared her throat, pushing her wine-red hair out of her eyes as she glanced at the fruit. “ **I couldn’t, not without payment.** ”

      “ **Nonsense!** ” the woman exclaimed, reaching up as far as she could to shove the basket right under B’s nose. “Y **ou’re hungry, and it’s hot out today. Have some!** ”

      “ **I– _uh_ …**” There was clearly no way that B would be getting out of this, so she merely cleared her throat again, picking up a vibrant, pink fruit, the aroma wafting from it causing her stomach to rumble again. “ **Thank you.** ”

      “ **Any time,** ” the woman replied, nodding her head. “ **I’ve not seen you around before, new?** ”

      “ **Not really,** ” B admitted, taking a bite of the fruit. It was fresh and juicy, the flavor reminiscent to something like a peach. At her elbow, Brienne whined, pawing at B’s leg as she begged for a bite, and as though on cue, the woman came back around with a small bowl filled with treats as well, offering it to the houndoom. “ **I don't’ usually come to the market so early, but I needed breakfast and my cupboards were so empty, I think a spinarak moved in and started to make webs.** ”

      The old woman nodded, her gaze flickering to Brienne.“ **You have a lovely pokemon,** ” she mused, clasping her hands sweetly before her. “ **A houndoom, isn’t it? It’s been ages since I’ve seen one.** ”

      B nodded, taking another bite of her fruit. “ **Her name’s Brienne. I’ve had her since I can remember.** ” She gazed fondly at the hellhound as she devoured the food hungrily, her long, arrow-tipped tail sweeping happily from side to side, pleased with the food she was offered. “ **My parents breed them–they’re pretty popular in Johto.** ”

      The old woman nodded, returning to her stool at the back of the cart. Lifting a small crate, she restocked some of the missing wares in her stall, humming happily to herself as B continued to mentally choose which she wanted. So many pretty fruit to choose from, so many vibrant colors that caught her eye; part of her wanted to buy them all! Her hand rested on her chin, and she nibbled on her lip for a moment, contemplating her decision. It wasn’t long before she raised her eyes to the woman, and was surprised to find that her beady, twinkling eyes were fixed on her.

      “ ** _Um–_** ” She wasn’t exactly sure what she should say, but thankfully the woman handed her an empty basket, as though having read B’s mind. With the amount of fruit she was about to get, she’d sure as hell need a basket.

      “ **Thank you, ma’am.** ”

      “ **Please, call me Hazel, sweet,** ” she replied with a kind nod. “ **All the other kids do, and you’re no different.** ”

      “ **–er?** ” B wouldn’t have thought herself a kid, but she supposed to Hazel, anyone younger than her could have been considered such. Still, as she nodded, taking the basket, she quickly filled it with the fruit of her choice, reaching in her pocket for her money.

      “ **I’ll have this,** ” she said, handing the basket back for Hazel to price. Pushing back the hair that had fallen into her face, it wasn’t long before the old woman had her total and bagged up her purchase, in time for wares and money to exchange hands.

      “ **I threw in a bit of a treat for your Brienne,** ” Hazel said with a nod toward the houndoom, who was happily licking her lips. “ **She really is a lovely pup.** ”

      B nodded with a grin. “ **Thank you,** ” she replied, hoisting her bag over her shoulder, pocketing her change. “ **My name is Bridget, by the way. Just realized I hadn’t introduced myself. Guess I’m so used to the night crowd knowing my name that I didn’t think of it.** ”

      The old woman merely nodded, her smile growing wide, deepening the wrinkles all over her withered face. “ **It’s nice to meet you, do come by again, when you can.** ”

      B nodded. “ **Of course. Have a good day!** ” Patting Brienne on the head, she motioned for the houndoom to follow, the creature quite a bit happier than she had been twenty minutes ago. Her head was held high, and she walked with a trot to her step, tail continuing to wag slowly as they made their way down the walk.

      More and more people seemed to be swarming the market, and while B would rather not deal with any more, there were still a few stalls she had yet to visit–particularly a honey cart that caught her eye the moment she saw it. There was quite a crowd around it, however, but when Brienne sensed B’s need to get to it, she raised her snout to the sky, letting loose a bloodcurdling howl that made the entire crowd hush the moment they heard it.

      “ **Ehe… _thanks_ ,**” B growled, shooting Brienne a glare. The houndoom merely wagged her tail, looking rather proud of herself as she and B approached the stall, the crowd giving the woman and her dog a wide berth as they looked on the hellhound with fright and unease.

      It didn’t take long to push her way to the front, and even less time to pick out the biggest jar of honey she could find, quickly exchanging her coin for it. She wanted to get out of there quickly, as she drew more and more glares from parents, shielding their children from Brienne. Of course, the moment B caught sight of their kids trying to push past their parents to pet the big puppy, she couldn’t help but chuckle at their innocence.

      As she was distracted, she felt someone knock into her shoulder, not roughly, but enough to wonder how it had happened. Turning her head, she caught sight of a man’s back, before her eyes flickered to the counter beside her, seeing that he’d left behind what he’d purchased. Placing her own honey into the bag with fruit, she grabbed the forgotten goods, thanking the merchant, before she and Brienne shoved their way back through the crowd to catch up with him.

      It wasn’t difficult; he was the only guy around wearing a white lab coat and sporting a baseball cap, and as she twisted and turned her way through the crowd–casually, of course; she didn’t want to draw too much attention–she was able to catch up with him in no time.

      “ **Hey! You forgot this!** ”

      Her voice startled him; she could see his shoulders jump as he halted, and after a moment, he glanced at her from over his shoulder, brow raising as B held the jar of honey before her.

      “ **You were just at the honey stall, right? You left this on the counter.** ”

      Brienne peered at the man from behind B’s legs, and as B offered the honey back to him, his face cracked into a wide smile, lifting his hand in a sort of Alolan greeting that B was not familiar with. Still, she nodded, her own lips lifting in a grin as she handed the purchase off, her hand resting atop Brienne’s head, patting her lightly.

      “ **Hey, thanks!** ” he said brightly, shifting the hat on his head. “ **Burnett wouldn’t have been happy with me if I forgot what she sent me out to get. I owe you one!** ”

      “ **Don’t mention it,** ” B chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. She’d seen the man around Alola before, and had been outside his lab more than a few time, training Artemis out on the sea. He was the professor of the region, Kukui, and even though she’d known of him, she’d never actually spoken to him before now.

      “ **What brings you out so early, eh? Can’t say I’ve seen you around!** ” he asked cheerfully, beckoning her to walk along with. B had nowhere important to be for the day, and was happy to chat a bit with the professor before heading home to do a bit of cleaning. There were still muddy footprints on her floor from the rain a few days back–between feeding and carting grunts in and out of her home nearly constantly, there’d been little time to actually clean the mess.

      “ **No food,** ” she replied simply, shrugging as Brienne pushed her way between B and Kukui. “ **Had to get some breakfast, y’know, though I didn’t realize how empty the markets are in the morning. Should do that more often.** ”

      He laughed heartily, glancing at the houndoom between them, who eyed the professor suspiciously, never having seen him before. B put a reassuring hand on her neck, easing the pokemon, before glancing back at Kukui, who seemed rather interested in Brienne.

      “ **You don’t see houndoom every day,** ” he chuckled appreciatively, returning his gaze back to B. “ **Natives to Johto, right?** ”

      “ ** _You’re_ the professor, you tell _me_ ,**” she jested with a wink. “ **My dad’s from Johto, and I grew up there. Houndoom and houndour have been sort of a family, eh, thing for ages. Brienne here is the first born of their best houndoom pair.** ”

      “ **I see,** ” he murmured, rubbing his chin. “ **Figured you weren’t from around here when I first started seeing you around, but I wasn’t about to bug you about it. You’ve got the hydreigon too, right?** ”

      “ **You got me.** ”

      “ **I heard you caused a stir with a couple of Skull grunts not long ago. Scared the heck out of them–and half of Hau’oli City too.”**

      She raised a brow, glancing at him skeptically. The grin was still plastered across his face, and he didn’t seem the least bit perturbed by B wielding her terrifying pokemon around like it was nobody’s business. Still, she gave a nonchalant she, flipping her hair, a wry smirk lifting her lips.

      “ **Someone had to do something, you know,** ” she mused, conveniently leaving out the fact that they seemed to follow her around like lost puppies, now. “ **They tried to use a couple of tired drowzee to take me down, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. _Kids_.** ”

      “ **You’re right about that,** ” he remarked as the strolled along, and B breathed in deeply, taking in the ocean breeze. “ **Team Skull’s been nothing but trouble for ages now. Scare some of the kids at the school half to death, and they’re just trying to learn.** ”

      “ **Imagine that,** ” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “ **Sounds a lot like Magma, if you ask me.** ”

      “ **And the other teams that annoy the rest of the regions, eh?** ” He paused, shaking his head. “ ** _Anyway_ , enough about that. It’s going to be a beautiful day, and here we are, talking about Skull and bringing the mood down!**”

      “ ** _You_ brought it up, not me,**” she quipped.

      “ ** _Okay_ , I’ll give you that,**” he chuckled, nudging her lightly. “ **What did you say your name was again? I don’t think we’ve been actually introduced.** ”

      “ **Bridget Burns, at your service,** ” she grinned with a sweeping, mock bow. “ **Most people know me as B, though, and I’ve come to prefer it.** ”

      “ **It’s a pleasure, B!** ” he exclaimed, holding out a hand, which she took, gripping it tightly. “ **Kukui at yours!** ”

      She snorted, but shook his hand regardless, a goofy grin still plastered upon her face. “ **I’ll tell ya, you’re not like any other professors I’ve met, Kukui. I did most of my early training in Johto and Kanto, and Elm and Oak are a bit more, uh–** ” She paused, pointedly staring at his ensemble–she could have sworn he was wearing a lab coat over a pair of swimming shorts–but she likely would have done the same thing. “ **…professional?** ” Her face scrunched, feeling that her word choice wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but shrugged nonetheless. Thankfully, however, Kukui chuckled, and as they walked on in the heat, Brienne’s head drooping in the summer sun, it became evident that they were done with their shopping for today. Not that B minded of course–it was her that had taken the lead as they strolled on–but her poor houndoom had had enough of Alola’s heat for one day.

      “ **They don’t have to deal with this sun, though, am I right?** ” he replied brightly when B drew before him, her feet hitting the grassy path as they left the city behind.

      “ **I suppose.** ” They’d fallen silent for the moment, B pushing her hair back out of her eyes. Her home wasn’t far; it was right on the path that led to Hau’oli, a small, quaint house with a paddock for her bigger family members in the back. The telltale roar of Titan–the tyrantrum that liked to think it was as big as a sylveon so he could curl up on B’s lap–echoed through the air.

      “ **No lack of terrifying pokemon, eh?** ” Kukui said with a grin, coming to a rest beside her. Her house had just come into view, and B’s hand rested on her hip as she cast a glance toward Kukui, lips steadily curving into a knowing smirk.

      “ **Give it a minute, pal. That terrifying pokemon isn’t all you think it’ll be.** ” Though he gave her a questioning glance, she gave him no answers. Instead, another roar echoed through the air, ground-rattling and fear-inducing…until it tapered down into a whiny, pitiful growl. B snorted when she noticed Kukui’s somewhat puzzled expression.

      “ **Was that…the same pokemon?** ”

      B snickered, stifling it with the back of her hand. “ **Yes, yes it was. You’ll have to see him to see what a big baby that tyrantrum is. Anyway, I’ve got to get going–get some breakfast on, feed the pokemon. Unless you wanted to stay; I have enough for two.** ”

      She took the three steps leading up into her home all at once, peeking through the window to see her pokemon snoozing about. However, as her eyes traveled toward the living area, her couch had been occupied by someone B had not expected that early in the day–or at all. Her eyes widening, she composed herself before turning to Kukui, offering him an apologetic glance.

      “ **Mm, sorry about that, it looked like someone dragged in a giant mess and left it on my couch,** ” she said sheepishly. “ **How about a rain check?** ”

      He didn’t seem perturbed, offering a grin. “ **Don’t worry about it. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, eh?** ” He waved, in the unfamiliar Alolan style, nodding in farewell. “ **See you around, B.** ”

      Nodding in return, she waited until he was out of eyeshot before forcing her way into her home, Brienne right on her tail. The door burst open, and as soon as the houndoom had passed, B had slammed it shut again, her sharp eyes narrowing as she gazed at the couch, a mess of white hair settled on the arm rest. Her eyes flickered to the ground beside her feet, seeing a pair of large, white shoes setting next to Breena’s bed, and she sighed, thankful that he at least had the decency to take them off before collapsing on her couch.

      Dropping her bags on the counter, she dragged herself to the couches edge, standing above the slumbering man with her hand’s on her hips, features impassive. His jacket was over his face, blocking out the light coming in through the window, and he snored loudly, unbothered by B’s presence in the slightest. With a sigh, she lifted the jacket quickly and tossed it aside, whistling for Brienne to join her. The houndoom tilted her head, eyes narrowing as they fixed on the stranger on the couch, and after another glance at her trainer, who encouraged her to jump up and give the man a surprise, Brienne bounded from B’s side, her paws sinking onto his chest, her nose shoved right into his face.

      He awoke with a start, and B snickered as she stepped aside, arms folding while she watched him flail and sputter, Brienne dragging her sloppy tongue across his face, tail swishing back and forth as she wagged it slowly,

      “ **The hell?!** ” he growled, shoving himself up, grabbing Brienne’s shoulders to hold her at arm’s length. The pokemon still stretched her neck, however, tongue flopping out of her mouth in attempt to lick his face.

      “ **Good morning, sleeping beauty,** ” B mused, brow raised when she met Guzma’s eyes. He looked haggard, dark circles encompassing his eyes, giving him a rather gaunt appearance, as though he hadn’t slept in days. His lip curled when the light touched his eyes, and after a moment of grumbling as he fought to get away from Brienne, he drew his glasses over his eyes, shielding himself from the sunlight.

      “Y **eah, yeah, could ya call yer dog off?** ” he groaned, leaning back as his hands dragged down his face. He’d given up trying to fight off Brienne; the pup had sprawled across his lap, brushing herself against his legs while her tail thumped heavily against the cushions with each wag. B chuckled softly, drawing nearer and lifting Brienne’s back end as she took a seat on the couch next to him, the houndoom stretched happily across them both.

      “ **I don’t think so,** ” B replied, idly scratching Brienne’s stomach. “ **This is her home first, so you’re on her couch. Don’t you remember? I told you that you get the floor when you decided to stay.** ”

      He huffed, turning his head to face her, eyes hidden behind his ridiculous glasses. “ **Aw, _c’mon_. Just this once?** ” He grinned in a way to buy her love, but she shook her head, resolute in her decision.

      “ **Try again, boy, your charm isn’t going to work on me.** ” She couldn’t hide a grin, however, and the moment her lips curved into a half-smirk, Guzma’s had widened while he straightened back up, finger-gunning her as though he’d won her over. With a sigh, B tapped Brienne’s bum, the houndoom casting her gaze upon her before hopping off, trotting to the bed near the door, curling into an oversized ball upon it.

      “ ** _Fine_ , you can have the couch,**” she grumbled, jumping back to her feet. “ **But the moment I find you in my bed, there’ll be hell to pay.** ”

      Her threat hadn’t bothered him; as he slowly rose to his feet, she could see him quirk his brows behind his glasses, and she rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the impossible man. Still, even as she bent over to pick up his jacket that she’d tossed aside, she could still notice that he moved slowly, as though aching and uncomfortable, and when she drew nearer to him, her nose wrinkled at the smell of stale alcohol and sweat, as though he’d been awake and drinking the entire night before.

      “ **Are you…hungover?** ” she asked, sniffing the air around him, offering him the jacket. However, as she raised it to hand off, she could smell the alcohol stronger upon it, and upon further inspection, she could see red stains on the white parts of if, as though having gotten into a fight the night before.

      “ **Heh.** ” Guzma did not answer her. Instead, he raised his hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose after pushing his glasses out of the way. From what she could gather, the dark circle under one of his eyes was really a bruise, and there seemed to be a bit of dried blood from a split lip on his chin. A heavy sigh fell from her lips as she tossed the jacket over her shoulder, licking her thumb and wiping the blood clean off his chin. He protested at first, nose wrinkling as B’s hand was suddenly on his face, but when she grabbed his chin to keep him still, continuing to eye the dried blood, he finally understood what the hell she was doing.

      “ **Hey, I’m fine, I can clean up myself.** ”

      “ **Sure, just like you can keep someone from decking you in the face just fine as well, eh?** ” she replied sharply, eyes flickering up to his. “ **Did you get into a _fight_ last night?**”

      He grumbled, avoiding her gaze as his eyes flickered to the houndoom, snoozing away on the floor. Guzma was agitated, that much B could tell, and from the strong odor of alcohol and sweat that pervaded his entire self, she’d surmised that the first sleep he’d gotten all night was the nap on her couch from before. Still, as she swiped his glasses off his head, setting them atop her own to keep them out of the way, she pushed his fluffy, white hair out of his face to get a better look at the damage.

      “ **Shit, what the hell were you doing?** ” she asked, his face showing more signs of a fight, now that she was getting a better look at it. The bruise on the one eye seemed to be darkening more by the minute, and it looked like something sharp had been smashed into his forehead, slashing open the skin. Luckily, it didn’t look very deep or dangerous, but the fact that he was getting himself into more trouble than was worth was concerning. “ **You can’t just go looking for trouble, you idiot!** ”

      “ **Heh, you’re startin’ t’ sound like Plums,** ” he growled, turning his gaze lazily back to hers. “I’m fine.”

      She was not impressed, but soon enough, he had grabbed her wrists with both his hands, drawing hers away from his face, amused by her pouty expression. B, however, was not amused; as he shuffled himself toward her kitchen, eyeing the bag of fruit on her counter, he was close to helping himself to the food she’d purchased, but not before she could shove her way between he and the counter, hand placed firmly on his chest to back him up.

      “ **I don’t think so, Guzma,** ” she said, pushing him back. Her irritation at his recklessness had since passed, but it was replaced with concern for his well being. She may have barely known him yet, but like with the rest of Skull, there had to be something behind his ‘tough’ act that was the root for his anger.

      “ **C’mon, I’m starvin’!** ”

      She ignored him, placing her hands on his shoulders and turning him on the spot, pushing him toward her bedroom. Her grip was tight, and he didn’t seem to have the energy to fight, but the moment they’d passed the threshold, he looked at her from over his shoulder, a sly grin spreading across his face as she shut the door behind them.

      “ **I’m _flattered_ , B.**”

      “ **In your dreams,** ” she murmured cheekily, releasing him. From a hook behind her door, she pulled off a towel, throwing the jacket on her shoulder to the ground, before turning back to the Skull Boss, brows raised. “ **Get out of those clothes, you’re filthy, you smell, and you need a shower.** ”

      Though his grin widened, her features remained impassive as he shrugged, relenting to her order. “ **Whatever ya say, B,** ” he chuckled, grabbing a hold of his tank from the base of his neck, and yanking it up and over his head. “ **But ya didn’t have t’ use the shower excuse t’ get me out of these clothes, ya know.** ”

      Try as she might to hide it, B snorted, her features lifting into a lopsided grin. “ **Right, and I could’ve said the same thing when I was at the mansion the first time,** ” she replied through laughter. “ **Trust me, you’d _know_ if I wanted to get you out of your clothes. I don’t beat around the bush.**”

      “ ** _Really?_** ” He seemed interested, but B merely rolled her eyes, striding her way forward as she grabbed his filthy shirt out of his hands, tossing it to the ground with his jacket.

      “ **You damn perv,** ” she muttered, though the grin still remained plastered to her face as she helped him get along. She removed the watch from his wrist and the skull insignia from his neck, placing them together on her bedside table. “ **You need a shower, because that’s sure not pheromones that you reek of.** ”

      “ **Fine, ya got me there,** ” he relented, shrugging nonchalantly. B huffed, shaking her head as she walked toward the second door next to the closet, one that opened up into a small bathroom. He’d since gotten out of his sweatpants, leaving them on the floor at the base of her bed, and as B dragged him inside, she couldn’t help but notice the pattern on his boxers, forcing her to hide the snicker that nearly burst free.

      “ **Are those little skulls?** ” she asked, tugging at the waistband. He didn’t seem to notice her mirth as he puffed his chest out proudly, clearly happy with his selection in undergarments. At this point, she was giggling through her hands, and yet, she’d not put him off at all with her laughter.

      “ **Damn right they are!** ” he exclaimed, ruffling her hair. “ **What kinda boss would I be if I didn’t have skulls on _everythin_ ’, eh?**”

      “ **A terrible one, clearly,** ” she replied, shaking her head. “ **Just get in the shower, I’m going to make something to eat, and hopefully cure that hangover of yours. Leave your, uh, boxers on the ground and I’ll get to them later.** ” She handed him the towel, meeting his eyes. “It doesn’t have skulls on it, but I’ll be sure to have one next time this happens.” She slowly backed out of the bathroom, and as she made to close the door, Guzma’s hand had appeared on it, keeping her from shutting it. Confusion danced across her face when she looked at him again, noticing his grin had fallen, replaced with an appreciative, and almost shameful, look.

      “ **Hey… _uh_. Thanks.** ” There was a halfhearted chuckle before letting the door go, running his hand through his hair. “ **I owe ya one.** ”

      B watched him, a small grin lifting her lips as she backed away. “ **You’re welcome.** ”


	11. 11

      “ **How has Alola been treating you, sweetheart?** ”  


      B busied herself at the counter, cutting up fruit that she placed in a bowl, making a sort of fruit salad. On a screen beside her–one that she glanced at every so often–was her mother, Morgana, a sweet, middle-aged woman with the same, wine-red hair as her daughter, smiling kindly as B made herself breakfast. A call had been long overdue; it was at least a month since she last spoke face-to-face, so to speak, and while she did message her every other day, sometimes it was just good to hear her mother speak for once in awhile.

      “ **Oh, you know, same old,** ” B said distractedly as Brienne pawed at her leg, begging for a bite. She and Apollo made a point to set their chins on the counter when B cooked, in hopes she might slip them a delicious treat as she worked, but there was no such luck this morning. Even through their whining, B did not relent, especially as they’d both just been given breakfast.

      “ **Nothing new _at all_?** ” Morgana gazed at her daughter intently, and though B flashed her eyes to her mother, she wasn’t about to let on her affiliations anytime soon. Still, she supposed she could open up a little bit–she’d been there for a little over a year, and really, it was only recently that things started to get interesting.

      “ **Met the pokemon professor officially today,** ” she said nonchalantly, tossing the inedible remains into the trash. “ **He seems pretty cool; a lot more mellow than Oak or Elm. Must be the Alolan air.** ”

      She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she set aside the fruit salad, digging in the highest cupboard for what was left of her cereal. Her mother prattled on about how things were back at home; Brienne’s parents were expecting another litter soon, her father, Marcus, won a trophy for showing one of their many houndoom, and they were planning a vacation to Kalos by the end of the year. All in all, it seemed like her parents were having the time of their lives.

      “ **So this _professor_ ,**” Morgana continued, stroking her chin in thought. “ **He–** ”

“ **–is _married_ , mom,**” B interrupted dully. “ **Don’t bother with your matchmaking crap.** ”

      “ **Well, what about the girl from Hoenn? Oh…what was her name? I really liked her!** ”

      “ ** _Jazzy?_** ” B raised a brow, glancing back at her mother on the screen. She’d met Jazzy in Magma years ago, and while they definitely had a great relationship, they were both young, looking for companionship in the toxic environment that was Team Magma, and ultimately, it was that that drove them apart.

      “ **Mom, I told you, that didn’t work out.** ”

      “ **Shame,** ” she sighed, looking at her daughter sadly. “ **Do you still talk to her?** ”

      B turned her back on Morgana, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t really in the mood to talk about her ex at the moment; there weren’t any hard feelings, but her mother made a habit of pestering B about her social life, platonic and romantic, it didn’t matter which. She was beginning to remember why she didn’t call as often as she should–Morgana’s nosiness got on her nerves more than she’d care to admit.

      “ **Yes, mom, I do. We write each other; I guess she’s living in Sinnoh now, in Snowpoint City. Don’t know why, of all places, but I guess she likes the cold.** ” She paused, shaking her head as she laughed softly. “ **She’s got a cute little piplup now, though. I think she said her name was Princess.** ”

      She turned her gaze back to the screen which her mother’s face shone through, eying her daughter with interest. It looked as though she wanted to say more on the matter, but she held her tongue, a smile spreading across her face.

      “ **Well, have _you_ found anyone new yet?**”

      “ **Hell, mom, _no_!** ” she groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation. If Morgana didn’t know that her daughter was just about done with the conversation by now, she was rather dense, but as B slammed her hand on the counter, eyes narrowed, even she could tell when she struck a nerve.

      “ **I’m not here to find a _boyfriend_ , mom.**”

      “ **Well shit, then what am _I_ doin’ here?** ”

      Almost immediately, B could feel the color in her face drain, and as she watched her mother on the screen, her features turning red as she gazed over her daughter’s shoulder, she whirled around quickly, trying to bar her mother’s view.

      Guzma had finished his shower. He was looking a lot better than before–granted, the bruises and cuts were still on his face, but he looked far more relaxed than he’d been when she found him on her couch. She should have thought to leave the clothes that she had borrowed a week ago on her bed for him; parading around her living room, stretching his arms over his head as he continued to drip water all over the place, Guzma donned nothing but a towel around his waist, and to her horror, it hung low, showing off more than her mother needed to see. Of course, her pale features had no longer appeared ghostly white; the moment she caught sight of him, her skin turned a bright, blazing red and in a rush, she searched for the disconnect, her eyes fixing on her mother’s when she came face to face with the screen.

      “ ** _Who’s–_** ”

      “ ** _Bye_ , mom. I’ll call you later!**”

      Morgana didn’t have time to respond when suddenly, the screen went dark, and B whirled on the spot, blazing eyes fixing on Guzma. He stood at the center of the sitting room, arms crossed, and a wide, cocky grin spread clear across his face. She could have punched him, but truth be told, she was far too flustered to even think about it.

      “ **What the hell?!** ” she growled, storming forward as her claw-like hand wrapped around his upper arm, tugging him harshly back to the bedroom. At this point, her front window was wide open, and since her house rested on a path often used by the public to get to Hau’oli City, there was a good chance that someone would see him from there–which is not what she had in mind. “ **You had to know I was talking to my mom!** ”

      “ **I _did_ ,**” he replied with a smirk, digging his heels into the ground to give her a hard time. “ **But I had t’ find clothes, didn’t I? Ya still have clothes for me, _right_?** ”

      With another growl, she unhanded him, moving to his back, hands placed on either shoulder as she shoved him forward, clearly unimpressed by his shenanigans. He did not relent, leaning heavily against her, and not moments later, she found herself shoving her shoulder against his back, making some sort of progress to get him out of sight of the window.

      “ **I do,** ” she sighed, forcing her way into the room. Slamming the door behind her, she ceased with her pushing and Guzma, who had not expected it, lost his footing slightly, waving his arms about him as he started to stumble back. B huffed, rolling her eyes; whether or not he landed on her was not the issue. She’d prefer that he kept his towel on, however, and not a moment too soon, her arms had looped beneath his, keeping him upright while she pushed him back up.

      **“I still have your shit from when I was at the mansion last,** ” she said, sighing when he tilted his head back, grin still plastered across his face. “ **They’re clean, hanging in the closet.** ”

      After a moment, when he did not move, she shoved him again, sliding her way away from him to pick up the filthy clothing from the floor. Her back faced him, lifting the sweatpants off the floor, noticing that they were oddly lopsided on one side. Hearing the closet door slide open, she dug her hand into the pocket, hoping that she wouldn’t find something gross, and pulled forth two pokeballs, both looking rather battered, but still in working condition.

      “ **Hey,** ” she began, glancing at him from over her shoulder “ **Do–** ”

      His towel was gone, resting on the ground at his feet, and while he nonchalantly searched through her clothes to find his, B caught herself staring unashamedly, a slight grin curving her lips. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that Guzma had turned around, finally finding his clean pants, holding them conveniently in front of him. It didn’t take long, however, to realize the look on B’s face when she suddenly came out of her daze, and he chuckled darkly, raising a brow when she realized that she’d been caught.

      “ **I can leave the towel off,** ” he mused, quirking a brow.

      “ **In your dreams,** ” she quipped back, rolling her eyes, though the telltale smirk was still plastered on her face. “ **Just put your damn clothes on so we can eat; I don’t need people looking through my window, seeing you bare-assed on the stool.** ”

      He snorted, shrugging, as B turned away, grabbing his shirt, jacket, and boxers from the floor, throwing them into the hamper in the corner of her room. Her face felt hot, but it was to be expected, after the situation Guzma had just put her through, and entering the bathroom, she heard him call for her from the bedroom, causing her to pause.

      “ **Ya don’t have any underwear here, do ya?** ” he called, and B shook her head, laughing softly to herself.

      “ **Not unless you like lace,** ” she called back, grabbing a small towel from the rack. “ **But those are my _good_ pair, so I don’t think you’ll be borrowing those anytime soon.**” She sighed; B supposed it was what she was getting herself into, not only unofficially joining Skull, but also letting them use her home when they needed it. Still, she could get used to it.

    “ **Heh, I could work it.** ”

    B had returned into the bedroom, pokeballs in one hand, towel in another, noticing that he’d finally eased into his sweatpants, rolling his shoulders as he stood up straight. She only rolled her eyes at his smirk, throwing the towel at his face as she passed him by, opening the door that barred him from the rest of the house.

    “ **I’m sure you could,** ” she chuckled, hand resting on the frame when she paused, meeting his eyes. “ **We can test that a different time, though. Your hair’s still wet; dry it off, and then come get some food. It’s not much, but it’s something, and I’m sure it’ll help your hangover.** ”

    Slipping from the room, she walked directly into the kitchen, gently setting the pokeballs on the counter that separated it from the sitting area. Brienne and Apollo waited patiently next to the bowl of fruit; while their eyes said to take it and devour it on the spot, they were smart enough to know that B would probably make them sleep in the paddock with the bigger pokemon for the night if they tried it. Still, when they saw their trainer, they both started wagging their tails, their eyes lighting up as they bounded toward B, jumping up to rest their paws on her shoulders.

    Nearly staggering under their weight, she laughed when they began to lick her happily, and she took a moment to smooch both their noses, causing them to howl in delight. Of course, as usual, Brienne’s howl sent shivers down B’s back, and while she was well used to it at this point–having had her for over twenty years–it was still spooky enough to cause the slightest bit of discomfort to the woman and her other pokemon.

    Starting the coffee, B rummaged around the fridge, finding that she had just enough milk for a bowl of cereal or two. Next time, Brienne would stay home; the Alola sun, coupled with a general fear of the hellhound, made it nearly impossible to get what she needed done without one or the other causing her trouble.

    **“ _Happy_? I’m dressed now.** ”

    Toweling off his hair, making it fluffier than B had seen it yet, Guzma swaggered into the kitchen, dropping himself into the seat on the other side of the countertop, leaning heavily against the surface. He tossed the towel aside, which landed on the seat beside him. B huffed, shaking her head as her back faced him, grabbing a few bowls to slide on the counter. Everything was ready, for the most part, and she just had to wait for the coffee to beep so she could pour herself a mug, but other than that, she was happy to let him start eating without her.    

    “ **I’m _thrilled_ ,**” she drawled as the coffee beeped. Pouring herself a cup, she heard Guzma begin to devour the food she’d set out, and as she slid herself down the counter, leaning against the surface directly across from him, she couldn’t help but notice the speed at which he ate. It was odd, but as she sipped a bit of her coffee, eyeing his face, she took a closer look at the bruises and scratches along his eyes and brow, pursing her lips.

    “ **What the hell were you doing last night?** ” She watched him closely as he raised his tired eyes to hers, obvious distaste upon his features. She wasn’t about to take silence for an answer, however, and her own features mimicked his, wrinkling her nose unhappily.

    “ **Don’t try beating around the bush with _me_ , Guzma,**” she said coolly, as though warning him to try just that. “ **Skull doesn’t mean just your grunts; it means _you_ too**.”

    He huffed, shoving more food into his mouth as he pointedly avoided her gaze. A soft growl escaped her lips as she rolled her eyes, and suddenly she straightened up, disappearing into her bedroom  instantly. She left Guzma sitting at the counter, utterly bewildered, but before her could shout after her, B had reappeared, a handful of cotton balls and a clear, plastic bottle in her grasp.

    “ **Just finish eating, I suppose,** ” she said, setting the items on the counter, her attention fixing on the pokeballs again. Her lips pursed as she reached for them slowly, but before her fingers could wrap around them, he caught her hand in his, drawing it away from the pokeballs.

    “ **I dunno if ya wanna do that, B,** ” he said with a halfhearted chuckle. “ **How afraid of bugs are ya?** ”

    “ **I’m _not_ ,**” she replied, raising a brow. “ **Honestly, have you _seen_ my pokemon? If I’m not afraid of a hydreigon, I’m not going to be afraid of a bug pokemon.**”

    “ **Suit yerself, I guess.** ” He chuckled, releasing her hand, and leaned his elbows on the counter, chin resting on his balled fist as he watched her. B rolled her eyes, a smirk having lifted her lips, and released both pokemon at once, their forms both materializing in the middle of her sitting room floor.

    The ariados, she recognized, but the other–a creature taller than both she and Guzma, which took up most of the room–she had never seen before. She assumed it was a bug native to Alola, but as she looked on its monstrous form, eyes wide, Guzma kept his eyes fixed on her, a wide grin spreading across his features. However, when her face cracked into a big smile, launching herself toward the pokemon, it was his turned to be surprised. As far as he knew, people didn’t just willingly go up to golisopod–nobody in skull did, come to think of it–so watching B take its face into her hands, cooing at it softly when her nose pressed against the end of its snout without a single shred of fear, well, he was stunned.

    Spinning in his seat, he slowly lifted himself up, swaggering to where B and golisopod stood. Ariados skittered about the room, inspecting its surroundings, and from the kitchen, Brienne and Apollo peered at their trainer in confusion as she nuzzled the giant bug in their home. B, however, patted the top of the pokemon’s head lightly, and she watched as its eyes squinted shut, a sort of purring sound vibrating in its throat happily.

    “ **That’s _not_ what…I expected,**” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

    “ **Didn’t think so,** ” B said, drawing her face away from the pokemon. Her gaze shifted lazily to his, lips curved in a lopsided grin at the slight disbelief on his features, and he shrugged nonchalantly, reaching to pat the pokemon on the head.

    “ **He’s my partner,** ” he said simply, running his hand along the pokemon’s smooth carapace. “ **Golisopod an’ me…we’ve been together fer ages now. Raised him from a little wimpod; nobody believed in him, but I did.** ”

    B’s smile softened from the mildly sarcastic grin she had seconds earlier, and her eyes flashed from Guzma to golisopod and back again. She saw the fondness in his eyes for his partner, and as she drew her hands away from the pokemon, it turned its head slowly from B to Guzma, bumping beneath his chin affectionately.

    Ariados skirted about B’s legs quickly; she could feel its feet running across her legs curiously, and with a soft chuckle, she stepped aside, glancing down at it as it’s beady gaze met hers, tilting its head in interest.

    “ ** _Hold on–_** ”

    Again, she disappeared–this time, out the back door–leaving Guzma watching her in slight confusion. And again, he barely had a chance to form his thoughts into words when she burst back in through the door, carrying two, brightly colored berries, one in each hand. She strode to the pokemon, handing off one to ariados and one to golisopod–both of which took, rather happily, as their eyes shut and they began to munch happily.

    While they were distracted, B took a chance to loop her hand around Guzma’s arm, causing him to jolt as she surprised him, and dragged him back to the counter, forcing him to sit on the stool he had previously occupied.

    “ **They looked hungry,** ” she said simply, washing her hands quickly. However, a moment later, her features grew more serious, concerned as he had yet to admit what it was he had gotten into the night before. Striding to the counter opposite which he sat, she snatched up the cotton balls laying on the surface, unscrewing the bottle of a harsh-smelling liquid, placing a bit onto the first cotton ball. Within seconds, she was before him, pushing his hair back out of his face, dabbing the liquid onto the first cut she saw. He hissed, the cut stinging the moment it touched his skin, and his hand balled into a fist, slamming on the counter at the unexpected sensation, teeth gritted.

    “ **Hey, _watch_ it,**” he growled, swatting her hand away, but it was B’s turn to catch his in her own.

    “ **I _am_ watching it,**” she replied darkly, eyes narrowed. “ **Maybe if you didn’t get into fights, we wouldn’t have to worry about this, hm?** ”

    His nose wrinkled, and he cast his gaze aside. Though his fist was still clenched, his shoulders relaxed as she continued to dab the cotton ball on his brow, and she lifted his chin slightly to get a better few of the rest of the marks on his face. He still refused to meet her eyes, but he did slouch against the counter, finally comfortable with B looking after him.

    “ **Are you going to tell me now?** ” she asked softly, gently tapping her index finger against the cut, making sure there was no fresh blood. Tilting her head, she attempted to get his attention, but he merely huffed, folding his arms across his chest stubbornly. “ **You can’t keep things from me forever, _G_ ,**” she continued, raising a brow. “ **I’ll find out, eventually.** ”

    There was a bit of an internal struggle as he decided whether to tell her or not, but after a heavy, dramatic sigh, he threw his hands up as B moved onto the next cut.

    “ **Just some stupid fuck in a bar,** ” he growled, eye wincing when the stinging sensation irritated his cheek. “ **Somethin’ about bugs and disappointments. I don’t remember much of it; I was pretty gone by then.** ”

    He looked almost sheepish at the admission, but B made no comment of it. Instead, she gingerly prodded at the cut on his cheek, eyes flickering to his for a moment, frowning when she saw the anger and disappointment in his own eyes.

    “ **Was this _before_ or _after_ you got drunk?** ” she asked gently, setting the cotton balls aside, hands falling to her hips. He rolled his eyes, nose wrinkling at her question, but his gaze flashed lazily to hers, brows both raised.

    “ **…before. It was the bullshit he was sayin’ that really got me hittin’ the bottle hard.** ”

    He turned his head again, another sigh falling from his lips. It clearly wasn’t anything he wanted to go into, and while B was still curious, she was content to let it go. There was plenty of time, anyway, and really, she was just happy that he told her the gist of it. At least she’d know to expect this in the future.

    “ **Try not to hit the bottle so hard next time,** ” she said gently, patting his cheek as she turned away. “ **You’re going to get hurt more than this, if you’re not careful. And there’s only so much I can do without hauling your ass to a hospital, you know.** ”

    He turned to watch her, brows raised, a slight grin lifting his lips as she threw away the used cotton balls. “ **I need supervision, B, didn’t ya know that? Plums never lets me leave the mansion alone at night.** ”

    “ **For some reason, I’m calling bullshit on that,** ” B replied thoughtfully, tapping her chin. However, when she faced him again, he was leaning heavily against the counter, a shit-eating grin spread clear across his face, pulling a laugh from her.

    “ **Are you asking me to be your supervision?** ” she asked, shaking her head as she reached for her coffee again.

    He shrugged nonchalantly. “Nah, of course not. Just someone t’ keep me from drinkin’ myself into a stupor again.”

    “ **So a babysitter.** ”

    He huffed, slightly frustrated that she was dodging around what he was trying to say, but the knowing grin on her face had him rolling his eyes, laughing mockingly at her.

    “ **Sure, _whatever_ ya say, B.**”

    She laughed, stifling it with the back of her hand, though failing miserably. “ **Fine, _fine_ ,**” she said. “ **I’ll make sure you don’t get yourself into any more trouble than you’re already causing.** ”


	12. 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of harmless drug use in this chapter. Marijuana will be the only drug referenced in this story.

      B’s nose wrinkled.  


      She was no mechanic, by any means, nor did she know how a furnace was supposed to work, but it didn’t take a genius to realize that the water which was overflowing from the only heat source in the entire mansion wasn’t supposed to be there.

      Crossing her arms, her finger tapped idly against her chin, figuring the best solution to the dilemma. She could call the proper person to sort this all out, but not only would they probably not want to come to Team Skull’s hideout, it would also cost money that the organization did not have. She could also try fixing it, herself, but at the same time, she had no idea how the hell to do it, nor had the supplies that she would need to do so.

      “ **Heh.** ” She leaned toward the mechanism, hand running along its metal exterior; it was cold to the touch, and B gathered that it hadn’t worked properly since long before Team Skull moved in. She huffed, moving closer, seeing the water slosh around her feet, the floor stained from the weathering of the constant puddle surrounding. However, it wasn’t until after she felt several cold drops on her head that she looked up, noticing a dark patch on the ceiling from which the water dropped.

      “ **That explains a lot,** ” she murmured, hands resting on her hips. This area of the mansion was single story, and with the constant rain and almost no upkeep on the property, there were bound to be more water spots like this around the place. Still, for this one to be conveniently placed over the furnace...well, that was a pain in the ass.

      “ **Hey, _B_!** ”

      She nearly jumped out of her skin when the voice came from nowhere, and turning on the spot, her eyes flashed to Rolan, who stood in the doorway, looking rather sheepish after realizing he’d frightened her. It took a moment to compose herself, and pushing her hair back out of her eyes, she gave him a questioning look, brows knitted together.

      “ ** _What?_** ” she asked, a drop of water landing on her head again. Her nose wrinkled as it ran down her brow, and she hastily wiped it off on the back of her hand. Rolan hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck as though B had bitten him, and after a moment, she sighed, relaxing her posture, running her hands down her face.

      “ **Sorry, _sorry_ ,**” she mumbled, shaking her head. “ **You startled me. I was trying to figure out why the hell this damn mansion is so cold but I think I found the problem…** ”

      She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder at the ceiling, where the dark water spot was, and Rolan’s gaze followed, brows knitting together.

      “ **If I can fix that, then maybe we can get on with the furnace itself.** ” She rubbed her chin in thought, turning on the spot to look up at the ceiling again, eyes narrowed. Maybe, if she could just get up there and take a look…

      Rolan shuffled forward, his dark eyes still fixed on the water damage above, his brows knitted in thought as he approached B. She stood, shoulders squared and her hands on her hips, inspecting the area, as well, lips pouted. Perhaps, if she called her father, she could find something out. He was no mechanic of any sort, but he had experience in dealing with his own furnace breaking down here and there, and he’d always managed to fix it. Granted, this was probably a bit different than what he’d dealt with--water damage was definitely not the same as old age--but she was certain that together, they’d be able to figure something out.

      “ **How d’ya manage to do that?** ” Rolan asked, arms folding over his chest, glancing at the woman beside him. She was nibbling on her lip, lost in thought, before her eyes flashed back to him, a twinkle sparkling within them.

      “ **Can’t fix the furnace until we fix the ceiling,** ” she said with a grin, and the mischievous expression that slowly spread across her features had his heart racing a little faster, the prospect of whatever she was thinking making him more nervous by the second. He gulped slightly, and when she noticed, raising her brow, she rolled her eyes, laughing as she clapped her hand against his shoulder, fingers grasping onto it as she shook him lightly.

      “ **Lighten up, kid,** ” she laughed, shaking her head. “ **You look like I’m going to torture you or something, _damn_.** ”

      While she was certain her own plan would probably have him blushing up a storm, B couldn’t think of a better way to get up in the ceiling itself than to sit on his shoulders and stick her head through the panels. She wasn’t short, by any means, but it was still a bit higher than she’d be able to reach, even standing on a chair. Rolan, on the other hand, was tall enough to reach the ceiling with his hands, if he really tried, and while B was solid herself, muscular and heavier than she looked, he was more so. She had seen him lift Apollo like he was little more than a newborn growlithe a few days ago--B would be no problem.

      “ **Hey, if you lift me on your shoulders, I should be able to find the leak in the ceiling.** ”

      Damn, she was right. The moment the words had fallen from her lips, Rolan cleared his throat, a blush rising on his nose and spreading clear across his cheeks. B’s eyes narrowed, but she did not question him; rather she faced him directly, placing her hands on his shoulders, searching for his eyes, half hidden by his mop of bright blue hair.

      “ **It’s _fine_ , Rolan,**” she assured him with a nod. “ **Don’t worry about it. I’ll find a ladder or something later and come back; it’s not an emergency.** ” She paused, but he did not seem convinced. His features took on a guilty expression, and again, he cleared his throat, wrapping his hands around her wrists, and pulling them away, gently.

      “ **Nah, nah, sorry, I wasn’t expectin’ that, B,** ” he said in a rush. “ **If ya need me too quick, I’ll do it.** ” Though still pointedly avoiding her gaze, he knelt, keeping a hand on the wall to keep himself steady as she prepared to clamber onto his back. B, brushing her hair back, approached him from behind, hoisting herself up, sitting herself neatly on his shoulders, one hand gripping his arm, the other finding the wall as well.

      “ **Ready?** ” He could feel B steady on his shoulders, but he wanted to be absolutely sure that she was stable before standing. He wasn’t the most balanced person, so the fact that he was lifting her had him a tad nervous, but when he heard her grunt of approval, he slowly rose, turning his gaze upward so he didn’t smash her head into the ceiling.

      “ **Steady…** ” she murmured, hand stretched upward to meet the ceiling tile as she rose. Fingertips brushing against the cheaply made material--odd, for a mansion, even if it wasn’t kept up--she pushed upward, the tile lifting off the bracket that kept it in place. She pushed it to the side, creating an opening for her to poke her head through, and wasn’t surprised when she was immediately greeted by a faceful of water, coming from an obvious hole in the roof, itself.

      Her nose wrinkled, and she wobbled slightly, trying to reach for the hole. Beneath her, Ronan’s eyes were fixed forward, though the moment he felt her lose her balance, he grasped onto her legs, keeping her steady. Of course, it did not help the blush that was evident on his face; his skin turned a deeper shade of red, and he was rather thankful that B’s head was currently up in the ceiling--it made it easier to hide his obvious embarrassment.

      “ **There’s a nice, big hole up here,** ” B called from above, and after a moment, Rolan allowed himself a glance upward, eyes following where she looked. Squinting, his nose wrinkled as he was met with a faceful of rainfall, and she could only laugh when he made a ridiculous face, ruffling his hair when he turned his gaze back to the door before him.

      “ **A little water never hurt anyone, y’know,** ” she laughed, shoving both her hands into his hair, messing it up more than it already was. Rolan groaned, swatting at her as he tried to keep her upright, though as he took a step back, he found himself tripping over himself, losing his footing. A grunt escaped him as his arms suddenly flew out, grasping for anything to keep him from tumbling over, and B, who’d not expected him to lose his balance, tightened her legs around his shoulders, her hands still locked in his hair when she felt herself lurch forward.

      In the chaos, Rolan managed to keep himself up, hands balancing him against the wall, and B, who was thoroughly ruffled, found herself wrapped around his head as he came to a stop, her heart racing, dark green eyes wide in surprise. It was a minute or so before they both finally came back to reality, and Rolan, suddenly realizing the state they were in, turned an even brighter red than before as B’s legs were still wrapped around him, tighter than before.

      “ **Shit!!** ” he grunted, eyes squeezed shut, his hands making ridiculous motions, as though to grab onto her to keep her steady, but thinking better of it than to touch her. B snorted, laughing loudly at her friend’s predicament, and she shot her hands out, capturing both his wrists to keep him from looking like a bird who’d forgotten how to flap its wings.

      “ **Rolan, calm down!** ” she shouted between giggles, and it was a few moments before he calmed down enough for B to shift herself on his shoulders, hunching over to wrap her arms around his shoulders. “ **Just sit down or something so I can get off your back.** ”

      He nodded, features blazing, and soon enough, he felt her shift her legs from his shoulders, no dangling behind him as she clung to his shoulders like a monkey, pressing her cheek against his mischievously. He shot her a glare, to which B responded with a devious smirk, and she smooched his cheek roughly before letting go altogether, falling to the floor with a soft thump.

      He was still sputtering when she popped out from behind him, and rolling her eyes, they fixed on his red features as she reached her hands up to clasp them to his cheeks.

      “ **You’re _fine_ , Rolan,**” she said through a chuckle, shaking her head. He did not seem fine; the kid hadn’t spoken a word other than panicked grunts since she’d given him a kiss, and the embarrassment that colored his features gave her pause for concern. With a soft sigh, she stood on her toes, pressing her brow to his, all mirth from her expression melting away into calm.

      “ **Breath in, hold it, breath out,** ” she said softly, and not seconds later, he seemed to relax, a small, embarrassed smile curving his lips as he looked sheepishly away.

      “ **That’s it,** ” she continued, patting his cheeks lightly. “ **Get stressed, remember that. I mean, it won’t completely stop everything, but it’ll help.** ”

      Nodding, Rolan opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it, allowing his shoulders to slouch as he relax. Looking up, B realized she’d forgotten to place the tile back over the opening in the ceiling. With a sigh, she rolled her eyes, unconcerned; there wouldn’t be much more damage that the rain could do. The floor was already soaking and the furnace wasn’t about to turn on after years of  water damage.  _Oh well_.

      Ruffling her hair, B turned toward the door, her hand clapping on Rolan’s shoulder as she encouraged him to follow suit. Though he wasn’t nearly as wet as she was, it had rained enough to cause his hair to plaster to his face, and with a huff, he pushed it out of his eyes, forcing it back into a ridiculous, messy look.

      “ **Why were you looking for me, anyway?** ” she asked, reaching for the door. He shrugged nonchalantly, dark eyes flickering toward her while she led him forward. However, before he was able to say a word, or B was able to open the door, it came swinging inward, nearly hitting B had Rolan not pulled her out of the way just in time.

      “ **OI! Where’ve you been?!** ” came Lena’s voice, loud, demanding, and almost slurred as she forced her way in. Both B and Rolan had been surprised by her appearance, and still frozen in place, they watched her as she struggled to focus, her brows knitting together while her eyes--rather red--lazily traveled from one to the other. His arms had been wrapped around B’s shoulder, and she was held in place for a few moments longer, until the grin that suddenly spread wide on Lena’s face had Rolan groaning, releasing B as quickly as possible.

      “ **Whatcha been doing, _eh_?** ” she drawled, leaning heavily against the door frame, her mischievous gaze fixed on Rolan, whose nose wrinkled at her words. “ **Ya found B, huh?** ”

      “ **That ain’t yer business,** ” he grunted, pushing past B as he approached his friend. “ **She needed some help lookin’ at stuff, an’ I was here.** ”

      “ **‘ _None of yer business,_ ’ he says,**” Lena laughed. “ **Tells me what he’s doin’.** ”

      B watched the two with a perplexed expression. Lena did not seem herself; she was oddly calm, relaxed in a way that B had never seen. Rolan, too, noticed her odd behaviour, and bending at the waist to see her eye to eye, he huffed, shaking his head, before he turned his gaze back to B.

      “ **They were gonna watch a movie or somethin’,** ” he said, straightening back up. “ **An’ that usually means one thing, if the Boss is involved...** ” he paused, watching as Lena’s head tilted to the side, blinking slowly, almost dreamily. “ **An’ it looks like the Boss is involved.** ”

      B raised a brow, and as Rolan put his hands on Lena’s shoulders, steadying her, he nodded for B to follow him out the door, making sure to keep Lena from hurting herself. Close on their trail, B watched as Lena attempted to swat Rolan away, but her movements were slow, lethargic, and she didn’t really seem to be altogether at that moment. B was no idiot, and she had a guess as to what was going on, but she didn’t need to think on it long, as the closer they drew to their destination, the stronger a certain, pungent odor filled the air.

      “ **For _fuck’s_ sake,**” B sighed, rolling her eyes. Rolan had pushed the door open, and suddenly, they were hit with a wall of smoke that seemed to have built up for the better part of half an hour. The windows were shut, curtains drawn, making it impossible for any sort of circulation to flow about the room, clearing the air. Waving her hand in front of her to clear the smoke, she came to a stop beside Rolan, shaking her head in exasperation.

      “ **She’s _high_ ,**” she sighed, and the collective group of grunts within, scattered about the floor, sitting on the window ledge, and perched on the couch with Guzma and Plumeria at the center, turned their heads at B and Rolan’s entry, the latter steering Lena in, making sure she was seated safely before flopping on the floor himself.

      “ **We’re _all_ high, B,**” came Guzma from the couch, before putting a small joint to his lips, breathing in deeply. Beside him, Plumeria stared absentmindedly into the television at the front of the room, before he nudged her shoulder, passing it off to her. B glanced at Rolan, who rolled his eyes, and Lena, who had been sitting nearer to the door, scooted herself toward her friend, leaning heavily against his shoulder.

      B shook her head, an amused grin lifting her lips. “ **That’s great and all,** ” she said, hands on her hips. “ **But you could open a window, you know. Run a fan? I don’t know, something. You’re giving me a headache.** ” Her lips pursed, pinching the bridge of her nose to avert the pain, though the smell of weed continued to permeate the entire room, a thick fog hanging in the air.

      Guzma shrugged, waving a hand to the grunt nearest the window, and after a few moments as he tried to process what it was the Boss wanted, it was opened, allowing a cool breeze to float through the room, clearing the air. B finally let herself in, eyes scanning about for a place to sit; she found an area of the floor next to Rolan, untouched by intoxicated grunts. Noticing her expression, Rolan nudged Lena to scoot over as B let herself into the room.

      “ **Oi, get up, yer in her spot.** ”

      Her gaze flickered to Guzma again, who’d nudged the grunt sitting next to him, nose wrinkled. Clearly unimpressed, the boy hesitated, all too unwilling to relinquish his spot to B, but when he looked up at her, her brows raised--half confused, half amused--her turned his face to Guzma, features scrunching.

      “ **I don’t see her name here, Boss!** ” he growled, gesturing a hand at her lazily, keeping himself grumpily in place. “ **I ain’t movin’!** ”

      His brow twitched at the grunt’s defiance, and his arm wrapped around his shoulder, rather heavily as he leaned toward him. Though the grunt did not budge, he was clearly intimidated by the boss’s actions, and clearing his throat, he dared a glance at Guzma, features paling the closer he drew.

      “ **I’m gonna write her name on yer forehead if ya don’t budge, kiddo,** ” Guzma growled, eyes flashing. “ **Let the lady have a seat, ya dumbass.** ”

      The grunt grumbled, far too high to be dealing with Guzma’s tactics and rather than get up, he sort of oozed off the cushion, and onto the ground below. Sitting next to Lena, who was smoking a different joint, she passed it off to him, and he took another hit, leaning his head back with a soft sigh. Looking up, B’s eyes fixed on Guzma’s, who had a grin plastered across his tired features, and he lifted his chin in a sort of tempting nod. She rolled her eyes, though could not suppress a grin when she stepped across the room, careful to avoid the snoozing grunts.

      “ **Weren’t you going to watch a movie or something?** ” she asked, plopping herself down on the couch next to him. From behind his head, nestled in his hood, was the caterpie they’d rescued from the irresponsible grunts a while back, and as she snuggled herself into the couch, kicking off her shoes and bringing her legs up on the cushion, the creature wriggled, raising its sleepy head to see who had joined them. The moment it realized it was B, its eyes lit up, and it immediately rose from its sleepy ball, sliding down the back of the couch and curling up on her lap.

      “ **We still are,** ” Guzma replied as Plumeria handed the joint back to him. He lifted it back to his lips again, taking another hit, eyes closed while he leaned his head back, the smoke escaping him in rings that dissipated into the air as they neared the ceiling. It was a few moments before his eyes opened again, and he turned his head--still leaning against the back of the couch--crooked grin still smeared across his face when he addressed her. “ **Just had to get nice and prepared, ya feel?** ”

      B ran her hand along the caterpie’s back, shifting herself to watch him. She wasn’t entirely sure what to make of the situation at hand; she wasn’t surprised, by any means, that the grunts did this in their free time, and she really wasn’t one to judge. Still, with half of them passed out on the floor in the middle of a freezing mansion...well…

      Lifting her arm, setting on the back of the couch, she rested her face in her hand, patting the slumbering caterpie gently. “ **...sure,** ” she replied, raising a brow. “ **What better way to watch a movie than get baked and not understand what the fuck is going on, am I right?** ”

      He snorted, shaking his head. “ **It ain’t about that, B,** ” he said, waving the hand that the joint was held in, and in alarm, B raised her own, shooting out to catch his so he didn’t drop it and burn himself. It took a moment for him to realize what she had done, but he quirked his brows, watching her with half-lidded eyes.

      “ **Aren’t ya sweet,** ” he chuckled, and B released his hand the moment she was certain he wouldn’t hurt himself. He, however, hadn’t drawn his hand away, and instead, offered her a hit off of the joint, earning him a curious glance.

      “ **Ya smoke?** ” he continued, noticing her expression.

      B shrugged. “ **Here and there, not often, and not your, ah, particular _blend_ ,**” she answered. In truth, she’d never actually been high before, and while the opportunity presented itself enough in Magma, she’s always declined it; there were more important things to worry about, then.

      “ **How ‘bout it?** ” He offered her the joint again, and she glanced at it skeptically. She knew it wouldn’t hurt, and she’d never been against trying it herself. She just never found the opportunity to do it in a place where she felt safe enough to do so. She grinned to herself at the thought; anyone else might have though the mansion to be the worst sort of place to smoke, and especially for the first time, but glancing at the grunts, to Plumeria, and finally to Guzma, she probably couldn’t have found a better place to do so.

      “ ** _Alright,_** ” she finally answered, and Guzma’s grin widened, and he lazily passed the joint to B, who took it gingerly in her hand. From below, she could see Lena clambering over the other grunt out of the corner of her eye, hoisting herself up on the couch’s arm as she watched B take her hit. It was a bit odd, but considering Lena’s state, she couldn’t be bothered to shoo her away. Really, it amused her, and though she heard a grunt of disapproval from below, Rolan’s gaze flickering to her nervously, she paid no mind.

      Bringing it to her lips, she closed them around the end, inhaling, though not too deeply. There was instant regret as she felt her lungs burn, the smoke nearly choking her, and suddenly, her hand was at her mouth as she hacked and coughed, eyes watering as she struggled to breath.

      “ **Ah, shit,** ” she wheezed, nose wrinkling as she wipe away her tears. There was a chuckle from beside her, and she felt a hand pat her back lightly, as though commending her for a job well done. Unamused, she turned her sharp, watery gaze on Guzma, he realized he’d been caught, though the smug grin plastered across his face had not faltered a bit.

      “ **First time fer everything, B,** ” he chuckled, repositioning himself on the couch. Beside him, Plumeria had sunk further into the cushion, her head lolling onto her shoulder, her glassy eyes fluttering shut as fatigue overwhelmed her. Guzma chuckled, shaking his head; on the other arm of the couch, where Plumeria rested, was a small blanket, big enough to cover her comfortably, but not much more than that. With a grunt, he pulled it across her, tucking it under her chin, as she snoozed lightly, mouth hanging open.

      “ **She’s had a rough day,** ” he said, shrugging nonchalantly, rubbing the back of his head, before his arm stretched out along the couch behind B. “ **Ya wouldn’t know it from lookin’ at her, but she does a lot fer the grunts and this team.** ”

      B nodded slightly, the joint still held loosely in her hand. She’d barely heard what he had said; any irritation she might have felt previously had melted away, a calm, relaxed sensation washing almost instantly over her body. Her eyes took on a glassy stare as they fixed on the television before her, and she blinked slowly, nibbling her lip. Vaguely aware of what was going on, she noticed one of the grunts stick a movie into the player, and the red and black visuals of the main menu, coupled with the eerie music, told her it was a scary movie, at least. Good.

      “ **Hey, B, ya _listenin_ ’?**”

      Jolting slightly, she turned her glassy gaze back to Guzma, whose dark eyes flitted across her face before rolling, laughing under his breath. B couldn’t place why he was laughing, but as slowly as her mind was working, she figured she must have been looking like an idiot with her blank stare, and the joint still held in her hand.

      “ **One hit is all it takes then,** ” he sighed, raising a brow. “ **Be sure t’ remember that.** ”

      “ **Oh...yeah…** ” She finally managed to string two words together...and only two, but as she held out the joint for him again, it was his turn to reach out quickly to keep it from falling.

      His hand wrapped around her wrist, and she watched him blankly as he took it from her hand, and her brow knitted together, lips pursed as he nearly placed it at his lips. “ ** _Wait,_** ” she said, throwing herself unnecessarily across his chest, attempting to reach the joint. From behind her, his arm grasped her shoulder, keeping her steady as he carefully pulled her back, watching her with an amused grin.

      “ **Damn, if I’d known ya’d be throwin’ yerself at me…** ”

      “ **You _wish_ ,**” she quipped back quickly, her eyes flashing dangerously, though her grin betrayed her. 

      “ **Yep, that’s the B I know,** ” he laughed. “ **Fine, have another hit. Jus...don’t drop it. Shit’s expensive, ya know.** ”

      He was hesitant, at first, but finally, he handed her the joint, careful to keep it firmly in his hand until she grabbed a hold of it. B, still a bit spacey from the first hit, barely held on, and knowing that the moment he let it go, it would be burning a hole in his sweatpants, and likely burning him. Still, he helped her out, holding onto it while she took another hit, hand wrapping around his to ‘stabilize’ it better, though it really wasn’t necessary. Taking a breath, she was able to keep herself from coughing up a lung this time, and after a moment, she released the smoke in a cloud before her, watching it float away and melt into the air.

      “ ** _Ahhh…_** ”

      She sighed happily, sinking back into the couch, her head leaning against the back of the couch, and pinning his arm between her head and the cushion. A dopey, yet relaxed grin was spread across her face, and her hand rested on the caterpie, which snoozed happily on her lap. Guzma shifted beside her, crossing his ankle over his knee, slouching comfortably beside her, taking a moment to glance at Plumeria, who seemed fine as she slumbered on. Taking one last hit of the joint, he passed it along to Lena, who was reaching for another despite Rolan’s protest, and she plopped her hand on his head, messing up his hair as she brought the joint to her lips again.

      “ **Don’t think I’ve seen ya this relaxed since I’ve met ya,** ” Guzma chuckled, checking his watch nonchalantly before resting his arm behind his head.

      “ **You clearly haven’t known me long enough, then,** ” she mused, her words slurred as she lazily turned her head toward him. Her cheek smushed against his arm, making her goofy grin look all the sillier, and Guzma could only snort at the expression with which he looked at her.

      “ **Apparently,** ” he agreed, quirking his brows before his gaze traveled to the television again. Whatever was going on, B was oblivious to. She heard screams and eerie music, but that was about it, especially as her eyes seemed to drift closed, the more relaxed she felt.

      “ **Scoot!** ” Lena suddenly grunted, slipping from the couch’s arm onto the cushion between it and B, effectively forcing B closer to Guzma as Lena made herself comfortable. B was hardly aware of what was going on, but the warmth emanating from Guzma, himself, did not help her weariness, especially when Lena reached back over the couch, drawing a bigger, thicker blanket from the floor. She threw it across the length of the couch, wrapping herself up to the chin while she leaned heavily against B’s side, and Rolan, still on the ground, found himself covered by the end of it. Though he still did not seem amused, he was thankful that everyone started to settle down, getting pretty sleepy himself.

      “ ** _Mm…_** ” Unconsciously, B drew the blanket over her shoulders, Lena leaning against her causing her to slouch against Guzma, who didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest. She was sure he’d done this sort of thing before, to probably most of the grunts in the room, and B found herself nestling her head against his shoulder, eyelids heavy and impossible to keep open.

      “ **I don’t think yer going home t’night, B,** ” he murmured, shifting himself slightly as he watched the television. The grunts who’d been awake before, now slumbered, and there was a dull snore that seemed to flow throughout the entire room, all oblivious to the movie that was on. Even B couldn’t find it within herself to pay attention to what was going on, and as warm and comfortable as she was, it was a miracle that she was still even conscious.

      Reaching for the wall behind him, he felt for the light switch, the moment his fingers found it, the lights were out, a sudden, sleepy darkness enveloping the entirety of the grunts. No sooner had the lights disappeared that he heard soft, steady breathing of a sleeping B upon his shoulder, and with his arm hanging over her shoulder, he chuckled softly, pulling the blanket over himself as well, the last man watching the slasher flick, surrounded by over a dozen, snoozing skulls.


	13. 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter to bridge between this part and the next~

      There was little that would wake B up in the morning, but when a sudden, sharp ache in her neck and spine rudely awakened her, she found herself cracking her eyes open, becoming quite aware of how warm and altogether gross she felt.

      Her mouth was dry, and she wrinkled her nose at the uncomfortable sensation, flicking her tongue about in distaste. Eyes burning her hand poked from beneath the blanket wrapped up to her shoulders, stifling a yawn with the back of it while she slowly came to. Even so, she felt sweaty and warm, and dragging the back of her hand across her brow, a grunt of displeasure rumbled in her throat at the greasy feeling of her skin. Still, it took her a moment to realize her position--to her right, Lena was curled up, still slumbering sleepily against B’s side, looking more peaceful than she had seen her, yet. And to her left, well, she found herself still nestled against Guzma’s shoulder, his cheek leaning heavily on the top of her head as he snored on, oblivious to the fact that B had awakened.

      She felt almost pinned between them, and it took a bit of careful wiggling for her to poke her feet out from under the blanket, toes feeling for the floor as she slowly repositioned herself, sitting up straight. The blanket, while draped completely over herself, was only partially covering Guzma; he wouldn’t notice if she took it, and with the heat that seemed to radiate from his body as he slumbered on, she doubt he’d miss it. Still, making sure his neck wouldn’t be too stiff when he woke up, she repositioned his head back against the cushion, fluffing it up as best as she could to support him.

      The caterpie, which had been on her lap when she fell asleep the night before, had moved, nestling itself on the backrest of the couch as well, slumbering away happily. Its eyes were closed, and it laid on its back, tummy exposed. After a moment, B reached back, tickling her fingers along its belly, and it wriggled, chirping happily before drifting off to sleep again.

      Rising silently to her feet, she leaned Lena back against the armrest of the couch, tucking the blanket tightly around her. Snoring softly, she shifted in her sleep, grasping the blankets firmly, and B slowly backed away, a small smile curving her lips. It took a moment to notice that neither Rolan nor Plumeria were still in the room, however, and though her brow furrowed slightly, seeing that everyone else was still in place, she shrugged, unconcerned. It was morning, after all, and she was sure they’d gone off hunting for food.

      Stepping carefully over the sleeping grunts, a heavy odor still hung noticeably in the air, but thankfully the clouds of smoke had dissipated from the night before. The window still hung open, the pouring rain from outside not having lightened up a bit since she arrived earlier in the day, yesterday, and she wasn’t looking forward to getting back home. No doubt, she’s smell heavily of weed, and the moment she’d step outside, B would be drenched from head to toe. Still, she could hang around a bit and see what this place had for food.

      Closing the door softly behind her, B dragged herself down the hall, arms raised above her head as she stretched, groaning as her sore muscles protested. That would be the last time she slept like that on a couch; curled up in a ball, unmoving, for the entire night was definitely not the ideal, but she wasn’t opposed to being all cuddled together, even if she was sore in the morning. At least she didn’t get cold.

      Vaguely aware that she had left her shoes in the room, her arms fell heavily to her sides as she found herself in the foyer, before her the door leading out, and to her left, the kitchen. There were low murmurs coming from beyond the doors, likely Plumeria and Rolan, and after a moment, B cracked her neck, rolling her shoulders as she headed toward the double doors leading in.

      She didn’t make it far when she hear two pairs of footsteps behind her--one, heavy and dragging, the other light but clumsy--and it didn’t take her long to figure out who it was who followed her. Pausing while her hand reached for the door, she glanced behind her, catching the sights of Lena, still draped in the enormous blanket, and Guzma, his jacket thrown over his shoulder, hand slipped up under his shirt, scratching his stomach. They both yawned loudly, eyes squinted shut as though not ready to be up and walking around quite yet. It amused, B, and her lips curved into a small smile as they both came to a stop before her, noses wrinkled in a nearly identical expression, fixing their attention on her.

      “ ** _Morning_** ,” she mused, but she was only met with a low grumbling as Guzma rubbed his neck sleepily. It was obvious that this lot weren’t morning people--with the exception of Rolan and Plumeria, apparently--but regardless of how they felt, they flanked B as she turned back around pushing in the door that led into the kitchen.

      As suspected, Rolan and Plumeria were inside, talking to one another, Rolan bent lazily over the island in the center of the room, and Plumeria leaning against the counter near the coffee pot, a fresh cup in her grasp, warming her hands. She, too, had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and the way her makeup was smudged, a slight grimace on her lips, told B that she hadn’t quite awakened either.

      Rolan, however, looked alive and chipper, his dark eyes bright and shining as he shoveled dry cereal into his mouth. It was only when Guzma sneezed--loudly and frighteningly--that Plumeria and Rolan finally noticed they’d come in, and while Rolan didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest, Plumeria’s irate expression had yet to change. Beside her rested a phone, which seemed to be incessantly buzzing, likely the cause of her irk, and with a deep sigh, she picked it up, thumb scrolling down the screen, brows knitting together in anger as she read.

      “ **Ya got coffee goin’?** ” Guzma asked, still too groggy to notice Plumeria taking a sip from her own mug. She rolled her eyes, setting the cup aside, and with the phone still in her hand, she turned to the cupboard behind her, standing on her toes to grab three mugs, all cracked and in varying sizes, setting them on the counter she leaned against.

      “ **I do,** ” she grunted, picking up her cup again. “ **But the milk’s gone bad so y’all are gonna have to take it black.** ”

      B shrugged, unconcerned. It was how she took her coffee most of the time anyway, and striding forward, Guzma and Lena in tow, she reached for the pot, carefully pouring the piping hot coffee into each of the mugs. She handed one off to Guzma, who seemed to fumble with it as he took it from her hand, and making sure he wasn’t about to drop it, she glanced at Lena, who’d found herself standing comfortingly next to Plumeria, her blanket drawn over her head like a hood.

      “ **They’ve been messaging ya all morning,** ” Plumeria said softly when Lena stood next to her, her features changing from irritation to concern almost immediately. “ **Some bullshit about yer mom, I think. I didn’t read the texts, but they won’t stop.** ”

      A soft groan escaped Lena when she took the phone from Plumeria, unlocking the screen and scrolling down the messages quickly. B could see her face fall immediately, the little color she had draining as her brows furrowed together in irritation. It was difficult to make out what she was thinking, but after a few minutes, she growled, tossing the phone aside as her makeshift hood fell, and Lena ran a hand through her hair in aggravation, at a loss for words.

      “ **Your mom’s fine,** ” Rolan said through a mouthful of cereal. “ **Don’t buy their bullshit; I checked yesterday.** ” It was obvious that he was pissed about the situation, and though B had no idea what was going on, she was still concerned for Lena’s welfare, never having seen her stressed like this before. Plumeria gentle put an arm around her shoulders, and Lena leaned against her, pointedly avoiding everyone’s gaze as the woman rubbed her arm comfortingly, her own expression equally as pissed. Beside B, Guzma--not looking too happy himself--was digging around in his pocket as he took a sip of coffee himself, pulling forth a pack of cigarettes.

      “ **They’re _always_ doin’ this,**” Lena growled, blindly reaching for her phone. “ **Every other damn week, mom’s ‘sick’ with somethin’. Won’t tell me what, even if I do answer.** ” She sighed heavily, and Plumeria gave her a tight squeeze, setting aside her coffee as she took the phone gently from her hand.

      “ **Ignore ‘em, Lena,** ” she said, and Lena looked up at her, her eyes glistening with tears of frustration. “ **Ya got us now, ya hear? Ya don’t need ‘em.** ”

      “ **But _Maggie_ ,**” she hiccuped, biting her lip. “ **She ain’t happy there. I need t’ get her out.** ”

      “ **Heh.** ” Guzma, who’d managed to get a cigarette between his lips, was dangerously close to spilling his coffee all over himself as he searched for a light. With a huff, B managed to take the mug from him, setting it aside as he lit the cigarette, taking a drag as his lazy gaze traveled over to Lena, who was looking more miserable by the second. Exhaling a cloud of smoke into the air, his eyes grew dark, dangerous, and he lifted his cigarette toward her, lip curled in distaste.

      “ **We’ll get yer sister outta there, Lena, don’t ya worry ‘bout it. No kid deserves t’ have shitty parents like yers.** ”

      A lightbulb clicked in B’s head, though she didn’t say a word. After all, it was a bit obvious that the kids in Skull didn’t come from the most agreeable homes, and it made sense that Lena, though among the oldest in the mansion, still didn’t get on with her own family. Still, knowing her sister was still with her parents…

      B suddenly coughed, a cloud of smoke hovering in the air as Guzma took another drag, the cigarette dangling between his lips while he looked at his own phone, brows raised in disinterest. She was rather certain that he had no idea that he’d gotten it directly in her face, but a moment later, when she suddenly plucked the cigarette from his lips, he looked at her in surprise, brows knitting together.

      “ **Oi, _what_ \--**”

      “ **Watch where you’re _blowing_ that, Guzma,**” she said, rolling her eyes with a slight smirk curving her lips.

      His eyes narrowed, a dangerous grin of his own spreading quickly across his face, but before he could say a word, Rolan had cleared his throat, whether because he was choking on his cereal, or wanting to get everyone’s attention, B wasn’t sure. Still, after finishing his mouthful, he straightened up, shooting a pointed glance toward B, the cigarette still smoldering between her fingers.

      “ **B found a hole in the roof, above the furnace. Thinks she might be able t’ fix it.** ”

      Feeling several pairs of eyes on her, she shrugged nonchalantly, keeping the cigarette well out of Guzma’s grasp as he reached for it, whining slightly. “ **I _might_ ,**” she said, pursing her lips. “ **If I can fix the hole, we should be able to fix the furnace, but that, I have no idea how to do.** ”

      A silence fell on the group, with only Lena’s grumbling on Plumeria’s shoulder to be heard. Rolan’s nose wrinkled in thought, fingers tapping against the surface of the island, and B, looking at the cigarette in her hand, shrugged, bringing it to her lips and taking a drag, instantly regretting her decision. Of course, it was to be expected; the cigarette was likely cheaply made, and the flavor was abysmal, and as she coughed, handing it back, she gave Guzma a disapproving glance.

      “ **That’s awful,** ” she grunted, nose wrinkled. “ **I’d think you’d have better taste, at least.** ”

      He only chuckled, taking it back, and B leaned back against the counter, rubbing her chin in thought. Through her watery eyes, she glanced at the group around her--Lena looking absolutely miserable as she leaned her head on Plumeria’s shoulder, Plumeria holding onto Lena tightly, her brow pressed against the top of Lena’s head. Rolan stared absentmindedly into nothingness, chewing on his lip, and Guzma stood beside her, casually flicking ashes onto the floor, brushing those which landed on his chest off nonchalantly.

      “ **I’m heading back home in a bit--I’ve got a bit of research to do with the whole furnace thing, and I’m going to see what my dad knows about patching a roof.** ” She paused, crossing her arms thoughtfully.  “ **If I can hook us up with an electrician of some sort who won’t ask too many questions, I’ll let you know.** ”

      “ **The less questions, the better,** ” Guzma growled, raising a brow. “ **These kids got enough t’ worry about than some strange fuck comin’ around an’ stickin’ their nose in places they shouldn’t.** ” She noticed him cast a glance toward Lena, who hastily wiped her cheeks, hoping she’d hidden her tears well enough. B was unfamiliar with the concern that marked his features, and a small smile curved her lips, and she nodded slowly, reaching up to pat his cheek.

      “ **Don’t you worry,** ” she mused, straightening up and rolling her shoulders. “ **I’ll take care of it.** ” Pushing her hair out of her eyes, she strode toward the kitchen doors, pausing only when her hand rested on it, glancing back at the group from over her shoulder.

      “ **Stop by later, if you want,** ” she added, gazing pointedly at Lena, whose red eyes met B’s steadily. “ **I’m making dinner tonight, and you look like you could use something good to eat.** ” Though the offer stood for them all, it was Lena that she was really concerned about, and though she did not show her gratefulness--still a bit ruffled from the texts, she nodded her head slowly, a small, stiff grin curving her lips.

      “ **And _Guzma_ ,**” she said, as an afterthought, turning her mischievous gaze upon him. He merely raised his brow, a smug grin spread across his lips, tongue idly playing with the end of his cigarette. “ **Get some better smokes.** ”


	14. 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The good stuff's about to begin~

      It was already late.  


      The sun had nearly set over the horizon, and the first stars were beginning to glimmer in the quickly darkening sky. Hades landed heavily on the pavement, leading to their destination; nine o’clock was the designated time, and though there had been talks of meeting up beforehand, B had several things she needed to get finished before the time came. Namely, looking up electricians and the like, and with her father’s help--luckily her mother had been at the market when she called--B managed to pinpoint a few people that might get the job at the mansion done. Still, it wasn’t 100% yet, and she needed to know if these people could be trusted before making her decision.

      And that wasn’t including Skull, themselves…

      A deep growl rumbled in Hades’ throat, violet eyes narrowed as he inspected their surroundings. It was not an area of Alola they had been to before; it was a small street, lined with brick buildings on either side, looking as though they had long since forgotten the days of popularity and attraction. Several of the shops were closed down, front windows busted out and what was left of the property looted. Characters of all sorts, men and women, both and neither, lined the walks, leaning heavily against aged brick, leather jackets ripped and torn, patched and frayed, while smoldering cigarettes hung from their lips in the night. Bright pink neon signs lit the street and rock music blared from several bars, giving B a vibe of rebellion and anarchy.

       _Heh, fitting._

      B, herself, seemed to have known that would be the case; tonight, rather than her athletic wear that was the norm, her own manner of dress seemed to fit in far better tonight. Apparently she had a knack for throwing shit together and making it look good, but it wasn’t a skill that she exercised daily. Comfort over style was her motto.

      Her pocket buzzed; fumbling for her phone as she leaned against Hades’ fluffy side, she squinted as the brightness irritated her eyes, noticing a message pop up on the lock screen. There was a skull in place of a name, a skull and caterpillar, which really let her tell each of the skulls in her phone apart, and her thumb flicking across the screen, unlocking the device, there was only one word that displayed across the screen:

            **[INCOMING 9:03 PM]: coming**

      “ **Charmer _isn’t_ he, Hades?**” B asked, showing the dragon the message on the screen. The creature booped his nose against the phone, his muzzle pressing several of the buttons at once, creating a jumbled mess of letters, which in no way represented any sort of phrase known to humankind. A grin spread across B’s features as her eyes flashed to Hades, and with a purr-like grumble, he pressed his nose to the screen again, effectively hitting SEND before B could delete the message.

          **[OUTGOING 9:05 PM]: k;fasdlak**

      Not that she would, honestly. Her pokemon had a knack of sending messages to whomever they could from her phone, if she left it laying around while away. It was Hades’ favorite thing to do, and having watched B text enough to figure out the mechanisms of the strange, human technology, he had managed to send several nose shots of himself to Rolan, Lena, and Plumeria in the dead of night. It was always amusing, waking up to several confused--and on Lena’s end, angry--texts in the morning, and it only pushed her to ‘accidentally’ leave her phone laying around more often.

      Her phone buzzed again, almost immediately, startling B. She hadn’t expected him to reply so quickly, and swiping open the screen again, the skull and caterpillar in the address bar, she could only snort when she read the message she’d received.

            **[INCOMING 9:06 PM]: the hell?**

      B glanced at Hades, whose dark eyes were alight in mirth; he was intelligent, devilishly clever, and he clearly understood what it was Guzma had sent. His maw parted slightly, B feeling his hot, almost fiery breath ruffle her hair, and after a moment, she pressed the camera button, the front-facing lense suddenly showing her face on the screen...with a monstrous dragon right beside her.

      “ **Smile, Hades,** ” she mused, sticking her tongue out as the creature posed, resting his great head on her shoulder. With a flash, the picture was taken, and making sure to show her partner, the hydreigon gave his grunt of approval before B entered a caption to go along with the image.

           **[OUTGOING 9:08]: ya boy Hades wanted to say hi :P**

      Pressing send, she immediately heard a notification tone from behind them, followed by a low chuckle when the message was read. It didn’t take more than a second for B to realize who it was; peering over Hades’ shoulder, a mess of stark-white hair met her eyes, followed by an amused set of dark eyes, which had fixed on B’s bright, green ones. As accustomed to the smug grin he wore most of the time she saw him, B still rolled her eyes when Guzma approached, rubbing the back of his neck nonchalantly, quirking his brows as he came to a stop beside Hades.

      The dragon greeted him as a friend--well as much of a friend as Hades would call him--by huffing piping hot steam across the man’s face, causing him to hiss, jumping back and covering his face while Hades hummed proudly. B sighed, shooting the dragon a cautionary glance. While she did not mind him being a little shit to Guzma in the slightest, she’d prefer that he’d not hurt him anymore than he usually would.

      “ **Shit,** ” Guzma growled, nose wrinkled as he touched his face gingerly. He didn’t look happy in the least, and with a shake of her head, B approached him, using the light on her phone to get a better look at his face. It was slightly red, but there likely wouldn’t be any damage.With how often B, herself, had experienced it, she knew better than to try and rush him home to take care of it, especially as little as Hades did, this time around. Still, she prodded his face, making sure he didn’t whine too much, before holding onto his chin to keep him still.

      “ **You’re _fine_ ,**” she assured him with a small nod, brows raised, shifting the phone in her hand. “ **He knows better than to cause any, er, lasting damage. He’s just trying to be friendly.** ”

      “ **He’s got a way with it,** ” Guzma grumbled, allowing B to finish her examination. His shoulders hunched, dark eyes flickering to Hades as the dragon nearly snickered in amusement, and B rolled her eyes, casting her pokemon a warning glance.

      “ **Let’s get on with this, yeah?** ” B said, letting her hand fall from his chin, and Guzma rubbed his face, nose wrinkling. “I’m missing my shows tonight.” An almost mocking grin shifted across her face, and his brow raised, seeing right through her jest.

      “ **Ya could use a drink, B, with as much as Skull’s been botherin’ ya, eh?** ” He cleared his throat, touching her shoulder as he swaggered toward the neon lit street. B walked directly in line, Hades hovering menacingly behind them, a deep growl echoing in his throat at the leering glances shot their way. This was hardly anywhere near a good part of Alola, and though she vaguely wondered why the hell it was there that they decided to meet up, she remembered that he just so happened to be the boss of Team Skull and,well, that really limits where he could go drink without trouble. Really, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if it was this place that had him collapsing on her couch, face covered in cuts and bruises.

      There wasn’t any lack of catcalling as they strode, nonchalantly, down the walk, and though she could have easily taken care of it herself--without her pokemon as well--B decided there were far better things to do than get caught in the middle of a fistfight when the night was so young. She’d at least get a few drinks in her before making a stupid decision, but then again, she was supposed to be the responsible one, tonight.

      “ **Want me t’ kick their asses?** ” she heard Guzma hiss, and glancing at him, she wasn’t expecting the scowl that had settled on his features. “ **Plums had t’ deal with the same thing the one time she came along. But, uh, she didn’t really have a chance t’ stop me, y’know? I was already drunk by then.** ” He chuckled darkly, and she noticed him crack his knuckles, as though by instinct, and with a soft sigh, B placed a hand on his clenched fists, lowering them to his sides again while blatantly ignoring the whistles and jeers from across the street.

      “ ** _So chivalrous,_** ” she chuckled, a hint of sarcasm on her voice. Hades’ eyes were fixed on the catcallers, who snickered, an eerie glow of lime neon casting a ghostly aura about them. It wasn’t until B reached up, stroking the dragon’s snout, that he started to calm. “ **You don’t have to worry about it, G, I’ll take care of it if it happens again.** ”

      “ **Hey, I take care of Skull!** ” he said indignantly, placing a hand on his chest mockingly, as though she challenged him. He seemed a tad on edge, but B’s grin had him rolling his eyes, relenting. “ **An that means _you_!** ”

      “ **I’m _swooning_ ,**” she chuckled, but after a moment, her face grew serious again, watching closely to where Guzma led them. It was a bar, on the farthest end of the street, that they drew toward, the walk outside particularly brighter than the rest of the street, bathed in bright pink, neon light. “ **But really, don’t worry. You act like this is the first time that I’ve dealt with this sort of bullshit.** ”

      He huffed, shrugging, but accepted her words. Leaning toward her slightly, she noticed him dig his hand deep into his pocket, fumbling with an unknown item, while B focused her gaze toward the bar again, eyes narrowed slightly. It was run down--as was the rest of the street--but in better condition than most buildings they passed. This one, at least, had its windows intact, and from within, music blared, rattling the glass. Through the window, B could see all manner of people within, punks and jocks, young and old. She was nearly surprised to see a withered old man sitting at a table near the entrance, sipping away at his whiskey, and even more surprised when Hazel, the old woman from the market, joined him with a beer, herself.

      “ **Ya get all types comin’ here,** ” Guzma grunted, cigarette dangling from his lips as he now searched his jacket pockets for a light. “ **The best an’ the worst. Ya gotta watch yerself, B, these shits’ll do what they want, _when_ they want.**”

      She raised a brow, nodding her head, though her gaze continued to peer through the window, seeing more of the patrons the closer they drew. He was right; the closer they got, the more variety she saw within, and though it wasn’t a particularly great part of Alola, seeing people of all backgrounds had her feeling more comfortable about the place. Not that she was uncomfortable before, but now, the bar had a better feel to it, altogether.

      Before they knew it, they had reached their destination, but it would be a few more minutes before going in. Guzma still had his cigarette, and B was content to wait outside a bit longer to let him finish it. He leaned casually against the wall, one foot crossed over the other, dull, tired eyes shifting from side to side as he watched potential patrons approach the establishment, on guard. B frowned, perplexed by his expression; they were out to have fun, a few drinks, and take a break from Skull activities for the night, and yet, why did he look like he was on edge, ready to pounce at the chance knock the shit out of someone.

      He did not notice her steady gaze, and he leaned his head back, eyes closed while releasing smoke into the air. Hand hanging limply at his side, B raised her brow, almost devilishly, reaching for his hand, and the cigarette he held loosely between two fingers. She wasn’t about to let the shithead spoil her night, nor was she about to let him brood his way though the bar.

      “ **Tell me you got a new pack of smokes,** ” she chuckled, drawing his gaze toward her. Almost instantly, a grin flashed across his face, and he leaned toward her, raising the hand with the cigarette between them.

      “ **Sure as hell, I did,** ” he growled, waving it before her, teasing her. “ **Dunno if it’ll reach your impossible standards, but shit, even I think it’s better.** ”

      With a chuckle, she reached for it, but Guzma had other plans. Before her fingers could wrap around the end, he snatched it back, placing it between his lips and taking another, long drag. She watched the embers smoulder at the end, the pink of the neon lights casting an odd aura about his face, the shadows of his face giving him a haunted visage. Her lips curved into a grin; B’s eyes were fixed on his, maybe a bit longer than necessary, and she could see the devilish gleam in his eyes at the challenge she seemed to exude.

      “ **Don’t make me take that from you,** ” she challenged, her voice dangerously, and playfully, low. He laughed, as though mocking her, straightening up.

      “ **I’d like to see you try.** ”

      Intimidating as he tried to be, Guzma was not much taller than her, and as their eyes were still nearly on the same level, B could only laugh at his attempts to rile her. Still, she supposed she would humor him, and with a growl, she lunged for his hand, which he quickly threw in the air, like a child trying to keep a toy out of his friend’s reach.

      “ ** _Please,_** ” she laughed, standing on her toes when her fingers barely brushed against his wrist. “ **You’re going to have to do better than _that_.** ” She was close enough to barely brush the end of the cigarette, though hearing him chuckle as he did, she only wondered what it was he had in mind. Still, she did not have to wait long, as he suddenly shot his arm around her waist, dragging her to the side opposite of the cigarette, pinning her against him as he continued to keep it quite out of her reach.

      B was not pleased; after a few moments of struggling, she realized she was not getting anywhere. At this point, she could have started climbing up him to get into reach, but that would be too easy, and likely predictable, so feigning defeat, she sighed, shoulders slouching, waiting just long enough to see him lower his arm out of the corner of her eye.  _1...2...3…_

      Suddenly she turned on him, her hand catching him by the wrist, holding it, and the cigarette, neatly between them, as the force of her body had her pinning him against the wall. Clearly, he’d not expected it; letting out a small yelp, he hit the brick roughly, eyes widened in surprise when she pinned him, shoving her leg between his in such a way that it would be painful if he tried to retaliate. It took a moment for Guzma to collect himself, and the moment he saw his position, the way she held him in place with the cigarette smoldering quietly between them, a grin, wider than she’d seen, spread across his face, nodding in amusement.

       **“Careful there, B. Ya don’t know what you’re gettin’ yerself into~** ”

      There was a slight clench in her stomach, and the sudden tension caused her heartbeat to pick up, but she did not relent, her lips forming a dangerous grin.

      “ **Maybe I _do_.** ” Slowly, she placed her lips around the end of the cigarette, taking a drag, all the while her eyes fixed on his, her intentions obvious. She was showing him who was in charge, here, and he seemed to be perfectly content with letting her have her way. Though it was tempting to blow the smoke into his face, she turned her head slightly, allowing the cloud to billow out and above them, as the cool breeze that fluttered their hair picked it up. His gaze was still fixed on her, eyes flashing dangerously--or perhaps, in amusement--and she stared right back, quirking her brows as though to challenge him again.

      “ **So...ya gonna let me go?** ” He watched her curiously, and slowly, she backed away, gingerly moving her knee from between his legs, though her hand still tightly gripped his wrist. He was biting back a chuckle as he ruffled his hair nonchalantly, and lightly tugging on his arm, B released his arm, raising her arms above her head as she stretched.

      “ **I _suppose_ I could,**” she replied, almost bored, though that was certainly not the case. She stood on her toes, arching her back for a moment, before relaxing again.  **“I’m impressed with your smokes, though. They taste loads better than that shit at the mansion.** ”

      By now, she had turned her back on him, a content expression resting on her face as she slowly sauntered toward the door, pushing her hair out of her eyes. So far, so good, she supposed; B was really enjoying herself, even though they’d barely been out ten minutes.

      From behind her, she heard Hades growl, and B sighed, shaking her head, having nearly forgotten about him. The big lug hardly ever let his trainer go without her knowing exactly where he was, and turning slowly on the spot, she rubbed the bridge of her nose, preparing to apologize to the dragon.

      “ **Hades, get over here,** ” she began, searching for him. “ **Probably should put you---oof!** ”

      It was then that she was caught off guard, feeling a solid shoulder collide with her stomach when she turned back. Hades huffed from before her, and feeling a pair of arms clasp her legs together, wrapping around her thighs and lifting her feet off the ground, B found herself in a state of complete confusion as to what was going on.

      It didn’t take long, however, to realize what happened. Hands grasping onto the hood of his jacket, B turned her head, getting a face-full of wild, white hair, and it was that moment that she realized that Guzma had thrown her easily over his shoulder, swaggering toward the bar as she struggled to break free. She wasn’t angry--far from it--and as much as she would have liked to feign rage, B was laughing as he pushed his way through the door, careful to keep her head from knocking against the frame.

      Twisting slightly, she managed to reach for his head, stealing the mismatched glasses off his head, and while the music that pervaded the entire bar filled their ears, making it difficult to hear even the nearest people, she could feel Guzma shake beneath her as he chuckled deeply, before suddenly letting her down. She landed with a soft thump, and he braced her while she found her footing, and with a huff, she glared at him in mock anger, before resting her hands on her hips, leaning heavily to the side.

      “ **What the hell you think you’re doing?** ” she managed to say above the tumult, and Guzma merely shook his head, cocky grin resting across his lips as his arm fell heavily on her shoulder, steering her toward the bar.

      “ **Payback, _babe_ ,**” he grinned, and Hades--who had followed them inside--hovered closely behind, looking as though he felt rather out of place, within. Of course, that wasn’t the case; patrons ate with their pokemon, told stories to one another, and B swore she even caught a serperior slipping its long tongue into it’s trainer’s drink when he looked away. Immediately, Hades relaxed, his great head landing heavily on Guzma’s shoulder, knocking both he, and B, off balance. Still, it wasn’t a big deal as they approached the bar easily, and his arm finally falling from B, he leaned heavily against the counter, nodding lazily toward the bartender, who nodded back, as though he knew exactly what Guzma wanted.

      “ **I’m a regular,** ” he said, turning back to B. She, too, leaned against the counter, one foot crossing over her ankle as she glanced at the alcohol lining the walls. “ **Me an’ the bartender are on first name basis.** ”

      A smile curved her lips when she looked back at him. “ **Does that mean you can get me free drinks?** ” She was joking, of course, but he shrugged, glancing at the bartender for a moment.

      “ **Yer out here, babysittin’ me, B. Ya can have _whatever_  ya want.**”

         The inflection in his voice had her watching him closely, a small smirk curving her lips, and the stupid grin splattered across his face made her  _really_ contemplate his offer. Her fingers drummed against the counter as a few ideas danced across her thoughts, tempting her. By this time, he’d looked away, leaning slightly toward her as his hand scratched the back of his head idly, and B bit her lip playfully, turning her gaze on the alcohol again.

      “ **As tempting as the offer is,** ” she replied, “ **I’ll have to take a raincheck on that. Someone’s got to make good decisions tonight.** ”

      He rolled his eyes, as though her answer was too absurd to even think about. “ **Whatever ya say, B. How about we get a couple shots, then, and that’s it? Well, for you, I’m gonna keep drinking.** ”

      One shot wouldn’t hurt, and with a nod, his grin widened again, motioning for two shots of some clear liquid that B hadn’t had before. She was already regretting it, but the bartender returned, setting one in front of each of them, leaning his elbows on the counter as he watched them eagerly.

      “ **Here goes nothing, then,** ” B muttered, gingerly picking up the glass. She shot a glance toward Guzma, who raised his shot glass toward her, and though she laughed, almost helplessly, she touched the rim of hers against his, making a small clink.

      He smirked, jerking his chin upward in a sort of nod, and B rolled her eyes, a huff of a laugh escaping her.

      “ ** _Bottoms up!_** ”


	15. 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )
> 
> Sorry for the delay! I was having a hard time trying to find a muse for this fic, but here you go! Be warned, there's a little bit of mature stuff in this chapter.

      B hacked and coughed, the bitter, burning liquid traveling down her throat. The odor had been strong when she first lifted the glass to her lips, and though she should have expected it, she was surprised by the sheer strength of the drink. It was as though she had swallowed rubbing alcohol, and slamming the glass on the counter, her nose wrinkled in displeasure and eyes squeezed shut as they began to water, B could hear Guzma laughing beside her, clearly unphased by his own shot.

      “ **Rookie,** ” he chuckled, his hand clapping heavily onto her shoulder, squeezing it slightly while he shook her. She barely realized what was going on, and certainly didn’t see him ask the bartender for a drink to chase it down with. Still, it took a few seconds for her to stand back up straight, wiping the tears from her eyes, before she met his cocky gaze, punching his shoulder playfully.

      “ **You’re an ass, Guzma,** ” she said, still clearing her throat. He shrugged, the smile on his face acknowledging her remark, and slid her chaser toward her, motioning for a beer for himself.

      “ **Yer not wrong about that, B,** ” he chuckled, catching a beer as it was slid to him. “ **It’s one of my charms, y’know?** ”

      “ **Oh, I’m _swooning_ ,**” B replied, rolling her eyes. “ **How the ladies aren’t lining up in front of you is beyond me.** ”

      Guzma said nothing, his smug grin still firmly in place as he quirked his brows, leaning heavily against the counter. He lifted his beer to his lips, taking a long drink, head bobbing absentmindedly along to the music. Rubbing the back of her neck, B took her place beside him, reaching for her own drink and swirling the contents around the glass, her other hand rested on the counter, nails tapping idly upon the surface. Taking a drink, she glanced to Guzma beside her, noticing how he bowed his head, eyes closed. Whether he was just enjoying the music, or keeping to himself, she wasn’t sure, but with a cheeky grin, her hand slid behind his elbow, reaching for his beer, grabbing ahold of the neck to jolt him from his stupor.

      Raising his brows, he glanced at her skeptically, but relented as he allowed the beer to slip from his hand. Eyeing him coyly, she took a drink, ignoring the bitter and unsavory flavor, before setting it between them, nonchalantly bumping her shoulder against his.

      “ **Didn’t think ya were gonna drink much tonight, B,** ” he mused, reaching for his beer again. Though it sat between them, it was still in her grip, unwilling to let it go so easily. He seemed to notice her challenging demeanor, and turning, he leaned his side against the counter, raising his chin slightly. “ **I thought ya were gonna be the _responsible_ one.**”

      “ ** _Please_. Just because I’m making sure you stay out of trouble doesn’t mean I can’t have a sip here and there, G,** ” she replied. Though she didn’t outwardly say it, she had been trying to get his attention. Hell, he wanted her out with him that evening, so she sure as fuck wasn’t about to stand around idly while he got plastered. “ **Why here, anyway? Seems a bit out of the way from Po Town.** ”

      “ **They’re my people, B,** ” he said simply, attempting to take another drink. B’s hand was still wrapped around his bottle, and raising it between them, his hand rested atop hers, gently prying her fingers off his drink. He took his time, however; he was no fool and he knew that she was toying him, but he wasn’t about to let her win this without putting up a fight. Guzma wasn’t a quitter, and neither was B, and their little rivalry was enough to get him going.

      Though successful with freeing his drink, he did not release her hand. His steely gaze was fixed on hers as he took another drink, effectively finishing the bottle, and set in on the counter, licking what beer fell upon his lips slowly. B’s eyes narrowed, her expression rather suspicious when his grin returned. His grip was firm, and not likely to break easily, should she have wanted to, but B, too, could play this game.

      Deciding that she was not all that comfortable with the counter jabbing into her side, B twisted herself around, raising her arm above her head and effectively forcing Guzma to stand directly behind her. She could feel him hovering closely, and her grin was devilish, feeling him stiffen. Arms resting on the counter, she smirked as she took a sip of her drink, and Hades, who had been surveying the area, turned his great head toward the pair, tilting it curiously as his trainer toyed with Guzma.

      “ **You know,** ” she said dully, holding her glass before her. “ **I kind of regret not having a drink. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a really good time.** ”

      She could feel him hovering closely behind, and though he slowly unwrapped his hand from hers, Guzma did not back away. His chest brushed lightly against her back, and she was thankful that he could not see her. A rosy blush had settled on her cheeks, and she bit her lip demurely; Hades could feel the flush in his trainer, and his nose nuzzled the side of her head, hot breath puffing her hair into her face. It was a moment before she waved to the bartender for another round of drinks, and though she reached to pay this time around, regardless of what Guzma had offered before, his hand were suddenly on her arms, head resting on her shoulder, nose tickling her ear.

      “ **I told ya, _Queen B_. I’m payin’ tonight, so don’t worry about it.** ”

      She could feel her stomach leap up into her throat, the uncomfortable, yet euphoric, churning sending chills straight down her spine. Holy shit, what was going on? As the drinks were placed before them, she noticed several shot glasses with the same strong-smelling, clear liquid from before, and turning her head slightly, she glanced at Guzma questioningly, lips pouting.

      “ **You have the _worst_  taste, Guzma,**” she jested while he reached around her, snagging a glass. Backing up, she watched him take the first shot, and then the second without pause, shaking his head as the burning sensation traveled down his throat. It was a few moments before his grin returned, and though his eyes were a tad glazed now–the shots were some strong stuff, that she’d admit–it didn’t stop him from trailing his fingers along her jaw clumsily, clearly feeling the effects of his alcohol.

      “ **Pretty sure you do _too_ , babe.**”

      She could feel the heat in her face rising with the way he looked at her. Though he was tipsy, at the very least, this was the gentlest she had seen him since meeting him. He was a gruff man, angry and rough around the edges, and even in this part of Alola, where the public wasn’t all that receiving, he was letting himself relax, and be himself around B.

      “ **Probably,** ” she replied simply, a grin lifting the corners of her mouth, as she brushed her finger against the tip of his nose. He had not expected the contact, and honestly, his surprise brought forth a giggle from B’s lips. Still, he watched her, smirk turning into a drunken, goofy grin, and B brushed her hair out of her face, her hands resting gently on his chest.

      “ **I need to use the restroom,** ” B continued, amused at the slight disappointment on his face. She pushed him back a tad, allowing herself to slip from between Guzma and the bar counter. “ **Don’t worry, G, Hades will keep you company.** ”

      He pouted, but shrugged nonchalantly, leaning heavily against the counter. His next beers had been delivered, and his dark, glossy eyes fixed on B as she slipped away, his brows raising. B rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at him, before disappearing into the crowd.

      The bathroom was not far; it was only a few steps away from their spot at the bar, and she was surprised as to how well the walls blocked out the music. The room was small, however, with only two stalls and a single sink and mirror, but she was not bothered. In truth, she just wanted to cool off a bit–the alcohol, though a single shot, seemed to go to her head quickly, and while it was not enough to incapacitate her, she would like to keep a level head for the rest of the evening. Guzma might have been in a good enough mood now, but she knew how hot-headed he could be, if provoked.

      Suddenly a toilet flushed, startling B. Turning quickly, she watched the stall open, the old woman from the market, Hazel, shuffling out slowly. Her eyes flickered up to B, and her lips spread into a wide smile as she made her way forward, pushing some soap into her hand before turning on the water.

      “ **Having a nice night, Bridget, dear?** ” she asked happily, and B grinned, the woman remembering her from the market.

      “ **Yeah, everything’s good,** ” she replied, resting against the bathroom wall, against the paper towels. She was relaxed, still fighting off the slight dizziness from her shot, but she was fine, and happy to chat with Hazel again. “ **Just unwinding with a drink, you know?** ”

      “ **Mhm.** ” She shook off her hands, and Hazel shuffled to the paper towels, taking two from the dispenser and patting her old, withered hands dry. “ **And the boy? You’re with him?** ”

      B’s brows knitted together, pursing her lips at the question. “ **He wanted to go out,** ” she said simply. “ **None of his friends would go with him, so I came along.** ”

      “ ** _Mhm._** ” Hazel gazed up at B, her expression fixed in a way that B wondered if she didn’t quite believe her, but she did not push it any further. Hazel didn’t seem the type to further the argument either, as she merely patted B’s arm, a smile on her lips.

      “ **Be careful around him, dear,** ” she said, her features growing serious. “ **He’s a troubled boy, and I’m sure he means well, but his upbringing wasn’t really the best.** ”

      “ **Wha–?** ”

      B was unable to finish her thought. She turned her gaze, sharply to the bathroom door, alarm crossing her features. From the other side, she heard a yell, followed by the a grunt and several glasses shattering to the ground. Instantly, she felt her stomach clench; if anything, she was certain Guzma had gotten into trouble–after all, what Hazel just said would have pointed well to him getting into a bar fight without having B around. However, she wasn’t about to stick her head out the door quite yet–not until the unmistakeable sound of Hades’ roar rattled the establishment.

      That’s when she sprung.

      Pulling the door open, the once casual atmosphere had tensed, and a circle surrounded a pair of men fighting, as another group struggled to calm the hydreigon. Hades didn’t seem to want anything to do with them; instead, he struggled to force himself to the center of the chaos, his fangs bared. B, however, didn’t hesitate. Almost immediately, she was pushing through the crowd, her lip curled in a frustrated snarl at the tightly-packed throng.

      Elbowing her way between two rather large, angry-looking men, B finally made it to the center, her fears confirmed. One of the men, she didn’t recognize, except he was older–probably old enough to be her father. The other, naturally, was Guzma, and she could see the blood dripping from his nose and over his lips and chin, splattering to the ground. She could not quite see the older man’s damage, but he was hobbling, clutching his forearm, and B could see the blood seeping through his fingers, likely having been slashed by the broken bottle in Guzma’s hand.

      “ **Oi!** ” B’s voice echoed above the din, and Guzma’s dark eyes shot up, still glassy, but also furious and ashamed. The other man, however, took the opportunity to launch himself toward Guzma, fist clenched, and ready to knock him clear to the ground. Hades, with a mighty roar, broke free, and threw himself between Guzma and the man as B shot herself toward the former, wrapping her arms around his, dragging him back and away from the fight. With a roar to silence the entire bar, Hades stopped the man in his tracks, and B had her companion by the hand, immediately vacating the establishment, leaving what she could on the counter to pay for the drinks and what damages they might need to fix.

      Hades followed, and pushing open the door, B took a deep breath of the cool, night hair, clearing her head immediately and letting her focus better on Guzma’s injuries. His nose was bleeding up a storm, staining his white shirt, and B sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers, glaring at him angrily.

      “ **I told you not to get into trouble, G,** ” she hissed, dragging him down the street. He wasn’t bothered by her anger; he knew he fucked up, but his own anger had gotten the better of him in the bar.  _Dammit_.

      “ **It could have been a nice night, you know,** ” she continued, a bit off-put that it had ended prematurely, but still rather concerned at the injuries he had sustained. “ **Instead, your hot-head had to get into a mess, didn’t it?** ”

      “ **Heh.** ” He hadn’t noticed they were outside the small town, where he had met up with B and Hades earlier. The dragon hovered protectively behind them, occasionally checking over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being followed, and B came to a complete halt, making sure he wasn’t hurt too badly. Her hands found his face, checking under his hair–as his glasses had been broken–and thankfully seeing nothing, and his eyes, cheeks, and jaw seemed devoid of any marks. Of course, that wasn’t to say there wouldn’t be bruising tomorrow, but at least there wasn’t anything more than his seemingly broken nose and split lip.

      She sighed, wiping the blood on her hands on his already stained shirt. “ **Guzma, what were you thinking?** ” she asked in exasperation. “ **Was he really worth it?** ”

      He looked away, clearly unhappy with his own response. “ **I can’t explain it now, B,** ” he said, his words slurring as he brought his hands to her head, resting one on either side. “ **I…juss can’t.** ”

      He looked downtrodden enough, so B did not pursue the subject. Instead, she brought his hands down from her face, looking rather weary. The adrenaline wore off, and she had to fix up his face somehow. Glancing at Hades, who had groaned softly as he hovered beside them, she watched as his feet touched the ground, lowering his wings for them both to clamber up on his back. B eyed him curiously, and Guzma’s features were impassive and dull, but B turned to address him again, raising her brow.

      “ **We’re going back to my place, and I’ll fix you up, ‘kay? You’re not good to be on your own tonight.** ”

——–

      Not long after, B and Guzma were stumbling to her home, B fumbling with her keys as she supported Guzma’s semi-drunk weight. He hadn’t been that much of a fan of flying–B’s stomach was still sore from how tightly he squeezed it on their fly back to her island. Still, Hades brought them back safely, and B was thankful for her pokemon’s quick thinking, since she hadn’t been thinking very easily herself.

      Guzma’s arm was around her shoulder, and while he seemed to get along on his own well enough, she knew that the nose and lip had to be stinging badly. It wasn’t long until they were in the safety of her living room, Hades ushering Brienne and Apollo–who were snuggled on the couch–out the back door to join the rest of the larger pokemon in the paddock. Breena slept in her bed near the couch, but she wouldn’t be a bother to her trainer.

      “ **I’ll be waitin’,** ” Guzma said, his good mood having returned since stepping inside. Though B was still a bit irritated, she pulled her ruined shirt up over her head, tossing it aside as she prepared to fix up his face. Glancing at him for a moment, he was slouched on the stool at her counter, leaning heavily against the counter, itself, smug smirk lifting his features as he watched her. B merely rolled her eyes, though unable to hide a grin as she disappeared into her bedroom, retrieving some supplies from the bathroom within.

      The searched the medicine cabinet for her things, pausing only to look at herself in the mirror. She was slightly flushed, and her eyeliner was a bit smeared from when they struggled to get onto Hades for their ride home. Still, she ignored her obvious fluster, kicking off her shoes as she hurried back.

      Guzma hadn’t moved an inch, if only to remove his jacket and lay it over the stool beside his. As she returned, he kicked off his shoes, loosening the watch on his wrist before setting it on the counter, rubbing his wrist idly when she returned. Now in proper light, there seemed to be a bruise blossoming on his right eye, and pausing only to set down her first aid supplies, she quickly made an ice pack to keep the swelling down.

      “ **Right, so you think you can hold this to your eye without fighting it?** ” B asked sarcastically, handing the ice pack off to Guzma, coming to a rest before him.

      “ **Maybe,** ” he replied nonchalantly, eyeing it before raising his eyes to hers, quirking his brows. “ **And if I don’t?** ”

      “ **I’m going to tie it to your face and shove you in a closet.** ” She was joking, of course, and as he raised the ice pack to his eye, she lifted his chin gently with her hand, taking a good look at his face. His lip was split pretty badly, but really all she could do was clean it out and hope for the best. His nose, on the other hand, had stopped bleeding, but there was a nice mess all over his face from smearing it earlier. She was pretty sure it was all over her shoulder, as well, but she could clean it later.

      With her first aid things, she brought a washcloth, having dampened it before coming back out. Slowly, she began to wipe away the semi-dried blood on his chin, careful not to irritated the split lip further. Though she did not meet his eyes, she could feel his gaze upon her, and he shifted in his seat, easing his knee between her legs.

      “ **You should take off that shirt and toss it,** ” she said, as though commenting on the weather. Thinking better than to let him take it off right away and possibly cut himself with his glasses, she took them off, setting them next to his watch on the counter. “ **There’s no getting the stains out of it now that it looks like it’s dried. And sitting around in it can’t be comfortable.** ”

      “ ** _Anythin_ ’ ya say, B,**” he replied with a smirk. Shifting beneath her, she drew her hands away to give him room to move, and with a few tugs, he’d stripped the ruin tank off, throwing it on the ground next to the door. “ **If ya wanted me shirtless, all ya had to do was ask.** ”

      B raised a brow, hand shooting out to grip his chin tightly. She forced lifted his gaze to hers with an authoritative touch, her eyes narrowing as a smirk lit up her features.

      “ **If I wanted you shirtless, you’d know.** ”

      She continued to wipe away the blood roughly as he set the ice pack over his eye again, a deep chuckle escaping his lips. At this point, B was unsure as to whether he was drunk or not anymore, but the look in his eyes seemed pretty sober, compared to before. She wiped away the last of the blood from under his nose and set the damp washcloth aside, wiping her wet hands on his leg.

      “ ** _There_ , all cleaned up,**” she said. He had leaned against the countertop, arm resting on the surface, his hand idly reaching for her arm. She was quite aware that he touched her, and the hungry look in his eyes had him drawing her in, and though her features remained skeptical, she hadn’t expected him to suddenly stand before her, tossing his ice back aside.

      “ **Ya know, B, ya still have that raincheck if ya wanna cash that in.** ”

      They were on the same level, eye to eye. B was tall, but Guzma was a bit taller, and the way he looked at her had her entire body radiating in a deep heat. Her pale skin was red, though her features remained impassive–save for her biting her lip as he slowly closed the space between them, the dead giveaway that she was not as collected as she appeared to be.

      “ **Ya said ya wanted t’ have fun, yeah? Well…** ” He trailed off, and B remained silent. His words hung in the air between them, and it was a moment before she realized his hand was on her hip, fingers hooking through her belt loop, tugging lightly, teasingly…

       _B, you shouldn’t._

_B, you know you want it._

      Her hands suddenly shot out, wrapping around his neck as she forced his lips to hers, and she captured him, kissing him roughly. Perhaps he had not expected her to act as she did, as he faltered for a moment, but instantly, he pulled her hips to his, one hand wrapped tightly around her waist, the other reaching to twist his fingers in her hair. The kiss was sloppy and clumsy, but delicious, as B allowed herself to be taken in the moment, and after breaking apart to take a breath, his lips smashed against hers once again.

      He smelled like blood, tasted like liquor, and yet B couldn’t get enough. Her fingers tangled into his hair, nails scratching against his scalp before tugging on his ivory locks. He growled into the kiss, and she felt his hands travel down her back, grabbing her ass tightly before hiking up her thigh, wrapping it around his waist.

      B complied, if only because it was what she wanted. After a second, she jumped up, wrapping both legs around his waist, and Guzma steadied her, before shoving her against the wall, breaking the kiss once again. He paused for a moment, his features dark, his smug as fuck smirk only wriling her more, and B licked her lips, ready for more.

      He didn’t kiss her again, however. Instead, his mouth found her neck, peppering her skin with soft kisses, sweet kisses. Kisses that she had not expected out of him. However, it didn’t last, as she suddenly felt his teeth graze her skin, and the bite that he left upon her neck had her crying out, breath catching in her throat, and B lolled her head back, eyes closing at the sensation. It was painful, but blissfully so, and though she might ask for more, it was her turn to take control.

      She pushed him back, sliding from his waist, and her feet hit the ground with a soft thud. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she backed him up and away, pushing him toward the door to the bedroom, kicking it open in a rush. He obliged happily, and as she slammed the door shut behind them, undoing her own pants in a lust-induced stupor, there was hardly a thought in her head than getting him in her bed and having her way with him.

      “ **Fiery, ain’t ya,** ” he growled huskily, their clothes a pile on the ground, forgotten. B merely smirked as she approached him, like a feline pouncing on her prey, and Guzma’s arms were held wide open, welcoming whatever it was she had in mind.

      “ **You have no idea.** ”

      He didn’t have to wait long. She pushed him back against her bed, and he stumbled backward upon in, dragging himself up toward the head of it to give her room. B pounced, straddling him, and she had one hand on his stomach, the other behind his head as she kissed him again, her hips moving slowly against his groin. He groaned happily, lustfully, and his hands were on her hips, leading her along, massaging her flesh as she liked.

      Of course, as much as he liked seeing her on top of him, he wasn’t about to let her have all the fun. With a flowing move, he managed to flip them, and suddenly, B was on her back, surprise flickering across her expression for a moment, before a cheeky grin crossed her face. With a grunt, her legs were around his waist, pulling him close, and she sat up to kiss him again, hips thrusting against his, teasing him.

      She broke this kiss for a moment however, her eyes fixed on his fervent gaze.

      “ **Hey, G.** ”

      “ ** _Mm?_** ”

      She smiled wickedly. Guzma could only grin in return.

      “ **I’d like to cash in that rain check, now.”**


	16. 16

      B’s eye cracked open, her face half-buried in her pillow. The sunlight washed through her blinds, warming her, and she lay, belly-down, on her bed, sheets draped haphazardly over her body. Arms wrapped around her pillow, she sighed happily squeezing it tightly. Burying her face more deeply into it, a silly sort of grin spread across her lips, and she stretched her legs beneath her, feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks.  


      However, she couldn’t stay in bed long. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she rose slowly, her burgundy hair a complete mess, stuck up at odd angles. Vaguely aware of her own nakedness, she reached for a shirt from the heap on her chair, dressing herself with the oversized tank, dragging her way toward the kitchen. Her head was still a bit achy from last night–while she hadn’t gotten drunk, whatever the shots were did a number on her, and the pounding of her head as the light hit her eyes did not feel like subsiding all that quickly.

      Coffee would take care of that.

      Reaching the kitchen, however, her eyes flung open, sudden realization dawned on her as she smelled a fresh pot brewing. Beside the coffee maker sat two mugs, both empty, and as she approached her sink, she saw bacon defrosting in a bowl of hot water. On the counter were the first aid supplied from the night before, and on a pile on the floor were shirts and jackets, laying forgotten by their owners, with Breena curled into a ball on top of them.

       _Oh boy._

      Walking back to the coffee, she had woken up just in time for the pot to finish brewing, and searching her fridge for creamer, she poured a bit into one mug before setting it aside again. From the window that showed the paddock out back, she caught a glimpse of a tuft of white hair, beside him golisopod stretching its legs.

      B groaned, suddenly realizing how sore she was, how much like jelly her legs felt. The night continued to flood back to her memories, and try as she might to push it aside, a smug sort of smile lifted her features, and she turned back to the coffee, pouring both mugs full. She was certain he could probably use a cup, and lord knew that she needed to wake the fuck up.

      Holding both mugs, she disappeared from the kitchen, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Thankfully he left the main door cracked, and she was able to hook her foot around it, pulling it back open with ease. With her elbow, she pushed the latch that unhooked the door, and with her shoulder, she pushed it upon, stepping, barefoot, into the backyard.

      Guzma stood in silence, watching Hades stretch his massive form onto a sunny patch of grass, a cigarette pinched between his thumb and forefinger. God, he looked rough. Where his lip was split, the area was red and swollen, and the bruise on his left eye was a nasty purple, swirled with blues and sickly yellows. His hair stood on end, and his neck and shoulders were peppered with bruises to rival his eye. Regardless of how beat up he was, he seemed content, relaxed even, and as she approached, he straightened from his slouch, rolling his shoulders lazily.

      “ ** _Mooorning,_** ” B mused holding out both coffees, as she stood beside him. Though both were satisfied, there was still an obvious awkwardness that hung in the air between them. Guzma glanced at the coffees, taking the one with creamer, and took a hit from his cigarette, tired eyes fixed on golisopod, who had stalked its way toward Apollo curiously.

      “ ** _Morning._** ” He took a sip, hissing as he burned his tongue, and glanced at B. Both her hands were wrapped around her mug, warming her palms as she watched her pokemon enjoy the morning. She wondered vaguely if she should bring up the night before; it was unexpected, but it had been ages since she been laid, and even longer with a partner who knew what the hell they were doing. Still, was this a one night thing? Seeing as he was still there, she wasn’t entirely sure.

      “ ** _Sooo…_** ” B finally broke the silence, glancing at Guzma, who met her sleepy gaze with his own, weary eyes.

“ ** _So…?_** ”

      Well, this was definitely getting places. There was an obvious attraction between the two; even prior to the night before, she had picked up on it, but never really thought it would have been something to follow through on. Still, as he remained silent, taking another drink of his coffee, B rolled her eyes, nudging him in the side lightly with her elbow, hearing him grunt lightly.

      “ **Usually I can’t get you to shut up, Guzma** ,” she said nonchalantly, glancing at him lazily. He rolled his eyes, though a slight smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. “ **I highly doubt that you’re speechless, of all times.** ”

      Guzma sighed with a halfhearted chuckle, dropping the last of his cigarette on the ground and grinding the butt beneath his heel. Chewing on his tongue, he stretched his arms over his head, this time, resting one heavily on her shoulder. Well, that was something, at least.

      “ **Yeah,** ” he finally replied, taking another sip. “ **Last night didn’t exactly go as I planned, B, but I don’t think it was all that bad.** ”

      He glanced at her again, trying to garner her response by her expression alone. Of course, her smug grin hardly had him worried, and not a second later, he had set his coffee on the windowsill behind him, snagging B’s from her and placing it right next to his. Before she could protest, he had her in a friendly headlock, messing her already wild hair. Her nails clawed at his arm, though she couldn’t help but snort in amusement at his antics.

      “ **Nice to know you’re not regretting it, then,** ” she said between laughter. However, her features grew a tad serious when he finally let her go, still leaning heavily against her. “ **There’s still something I want to know, Guzma.** ”

      His features fell, and it was finally that she saw the regret in his face. His lip had started bleeding again, likely split from roughhousing with her, and B sighed, lifting the bottom of her shirt to his face. She patted the fabric gently against the blood, her emerald eyes fixing on his, which so pointedly avoided her gaze. With a shake of her head, B rolled her eyes, shifting to move into sight, and try as he might to not look at her, her persistence won over his stubbornness.

      “ ** _Listen_ , I haven’t had the best life, B.**” He paused, his hands on her shoulders, holding her at arm’s length. “ **Long story short, my dad’s a piece of shit, and I thought the guy was him. Shoulda thought it through, but drinkin’ gets me into trouble.** ”

      B offered a sympathetic smile, small and sad, before raising her hands to his, patting them gently. “ **You don’t have to get into it, G. But maybe we should hold off on drinking for a bit, yeah?** ”

      “ **…yeah.** ” There was a long, heavy pause, and they both avoided the other’s gaze, arms falling from B’s shoulders. So what Hazel said was true; the woman had never given B a reason not to believe her, and seeing how Guzma acted, the front he put on as the Big Boss of Team Skull, she wasn’t exactly surprised that he had a troubled home life. She was sad, of course, and couldn’t begin to think about how it was, having grown up with a loving and supporting family, but it seemed to be the common theme of Team Skull in general.

      “ ** _Or,_** ” she offered, drawing his gaze to her again. “ **If you do want a drink away from the kiddos, we can always do it here?** ”

      “ **We? So after last night, ya still wanna chill with destruction in human form?** ”

      Though his expression was serious, B knew he jested, and she couldn’t help but to laugh stupidly, covering her mouth with her hands. She felt him shake her by the shoulder, chuckling himself, and after a few moments, her laughter subsided as she shook her head, utterly amused by his statement.

      “ **Destruction, _right_ ,**” she wheezed, punching his shoulder. “ **Guzma, please, I like you and Skull for who you all are; one mistake at a bar isn’t going to deter me from making myself at home. Hell! Lena and Rolan tried to stomp me into the ground when I first met them, and here I am.** ”

      “ **S’pose ya got a point,** ” he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “ **An’ last night?** ”

      Finally. It was about time they got to the subject of what they did, the fun they had. In truth, she was not opposed to doing it again, and she was certain he could use a lay once in awhile. Still, the awkwardness returned, and B folded her arms in contemplation, chewing on her lip.

      “ **I’ve got an idea for you,** ” she said, elbowing him again. “ **I enjoyed myself–I’d be a hell of a liar if I said otherwise. And from what I remember, you did to. So…** ”

      “ ** _So…_** ” His voice seemed a bit more eager than she had heard so far, and it brought a smirk to her lips as she shifted her weight to one leg, eyeing him with a raised brow.

      “ **So, I’m thinking we could make a habit of this, hm? We obviously get along, and a good fuck here and there could be good for us.** ”

      He considered her carefully. She did have a point; how long had it been since he last got laid? Too long, in his opinion, and the fact that he and B just seemed to click–not just in friendship, but in the sheets as well–the proposition just seemed to make sense.

      “ **Ya know, that’s one _hell_  of an idea, B,**” he replied with a grin. His arm, wrapped around her shoulder, tightened, and she rolled her eyes with a chuckle, pushing him off. “ **That mean we can go for round two? Now that I can fully appreciate ya.** ”

      “ ** _Down_ , boy, you’re getting a bit ahead of yourself,**” B laughed. “ **I’ve got shit to do anyway, and you left bacon in the sink. The pokemon can’t really clean up after themselves either.** ”

      From within the paddock, as though on cue, Titan roared, rattling both the paddock and her home. Guzma looked from the paddock and back to B, shaking his head.

      “ **Fine, _fine,_** ” he whined, hands plopping on her shoulders as he shook her.“ **Might as well help ya fer leavin’ a mess in your kitchen, eh? What’s the plan?** ” Though he did seem apologetic, there was a mischievous glint in his eye that did not go unnoticed to B. She averted her gaze, bowing her head with a half-grin on her face.

“ **Breakfast first–then the paddock.** ”

——————

      “ **And get this. The prick thinks he can just waltz in with his dark types and smash golisopod. What kind of bullshit is that?** ”

      Guzma tore at a piece of bacon, devouring his breakfast hungrily. B, however, laid across the crouch, Breena snoozing on her stomach, continuing to nurse her small headache–the result from the night before. Truth be told, she would have happily fallen asleep right then and there, and with her eyes hidden in the crook of her arm, a blanket draped over most of her body, she was near it, but she had shit to do, and none of it involved sleeping the day away.

      “ **You don’t say,** ” she mused, peeking at him from under her arm. “ **Sounds like some real bullshit, there.** ”

      “ **Yer tellin’ me,** ” he replied, nodding. “ **The guy was trying to get Skull out of Po Town. As if that worked; he was one guy versus all of us.** ” Spinning himself in his chair, his rested his elbow on the counter, propping up his head with his fist. The expression he wore almost had B laughing; he seemed completely perplexed that a singular man would try to take on the entirety of Skull to run them out of the town, but B vaguely wondered if he might have been a part of the law enforcement on Ula’ula island.

      “ **I mean,** ” B continued sleepily, hiding her eyes again. “ **The man might’ve just been doing his job. He could have had no control over what he had to do.** ”

      “ **Mm, maybe. Still, shit’s annoying when ya’ve got a team to run.** ”

      He did have a point, but B didn’t want to press it any farther. Team Skull was still a problem in Alola, and while she was certain the public didn’t see it, she knew the grunts and boss alike had their misunderstood issues. They masked their pain with anger, and took it out on people not as skilled as them. It was a problem, but it was not something she was outwardly going to address; she’d work from the inside to help them heal.

      “ **Right, so the paddock now?** ” B glanced at Guzma again curiously. He seemed to be earnest in his willingness to help her, and B was appreciative of it. The paddock was dirty, and it came along with its fair share of upkeep, but she kept it maintained constantly. Of course, the constant travel from Melemele to Ula’ula cut into that time, but she always picked a bit up before she left.

      “ **Yeah, I need to change out Titan’s begging and–** ”

      She did not get to finish her thought. Suddenly her front door swung open, effectively spooking Breena as the sylveon jumped up, digging her tiny paws into B’s stomach. She groaned, and the pokemon hopped from her perch, standing between her trainer and the intruders, the hair at her shoulders raising. Of course, B wasn’t concerned; it was Ronan and Lena, out of breath as usual, looking rather stressed as they slammed the door behind them. B rose from her spot, swinging her legs off the edge of the couch, and she leaned back in her seat, arms folding across her chest.

      Guzma, from the counter, finished the last of his bacon before spinning in his seat, his expression turning to one of confused irritation, and a single brow rose over his half-lidded eyes. It took a second before either of the grunts turned around; Rolan peered through the window at the top of the door, while Lena peeked out the front window, both completely rigid, as though making sure all danger had passed.

      Allowing them a few moments, Guzma finally cleared this throat, hunched over with his elbows resting on his thighs, hands dangling between his legs. He wore only his discarded pants from last night, the remnants of his clothing in a heap on the ground, and Rolan and Lena turned on their heel, suddenly noticing that B and Guzma were there.

      “ **Boss!** ” Rolan exclaimed. “ **What are ya doing here?** ”

      “ **Got myself into a bit of trouble last night, kid,** ” he replied haughtily, side glancing at B. “ **Luckily she was there t’ save me from myself, ya know?** ”

      Rolan’s brows furrowed, but Lena watched Guzma suspiciously, eyes sweeping over the bruises and cuts on his face, to the marks that peppered his neck and shoulders, quite clearly not from the fight. Her gaze flashed to B, and she raised a brow, noting a few of the same marks on her thighs. It took an idiot not to realize what had really happened, and though she was sure the boss had gotten himself into shit, the night had taken a better turn, from what she could tell.

      “ **And what about you two?** ” B said, noticing Lena’s stare. The smug look the girl had on her face did not fool B, and she shrugged nonchalantly, unbothered by what the grunt might have thought. “ **You don’t usually come bursting into my house unless you got into trouble, as well.** ”

      “ **Believe it or not,** ” Lena began, rolling her eyes. “ **We were being good fer once. It was who we ran into that gave us trouble.** ” Her features scrunched and she crossed her arms, pointedly looking away. It was clear that it was not a subject she wanted to further divulge in, and B was happy to respect her wishes. Rolan, on the other hand, seemed to be completely out of the loop as he knelt to pet Breena, and B and Guzma glanced at each other, both shrugging.

      “ ** _…right,_** ” B finally said, watching the lot of Skulls in her living room. “ **If you’re gonna stay, then get your shovel because I’ve got shit to clean and I’m not about to let you all freeload while I do all the work, eh?** ” Guzma, Rolan, and Lena all stared at her, and she rose, heading toward the back door. “ **You’re not getting out of this, kiddos.** ”

 

 


End file.
